So, sir, _this_ is the way you get up to the top of the form ?" "I wasn't using it, sir," said Eric.
"Not using it! Why, I saw you put it, open, under your Homer." "It isn't mine, sir." "Then whose is it ?" Mr.Gordon looked at the fly leaf, but of course no name was there; in those days it was dangerous to write one's name in a translation.
Eric was silent.
"Under the circumstances, Williams, I must punish you," said Mr.Gordon.
"Of course I am _bound_ to believe you, but the circumstances are very suspicious.

You had no business with such a book at all.

Hold out your hand." As yet, Eric had never been caned.

It would have been easy for him in this case to clear himself without mentioning names, but (very rightly) he thought it unmanly to clamor about being punished, and he felt nettled at Mr.Gordon's merely official belief of his word.

He knew that he had his faults, but certainly want of honor was not among them.
Indeed, there were only three boys out of the twenty in the form, who did not resort to modes of unfairness far worse than the use of cribs, and those three were Russell, Owen, and himself; even Duncan, even Montagu, inured to it by custom, were not ashamed to read their lesson off a concealed book, or copy a date from a furtive piece of paper.