Next time the form went up, Mr.Gordon said, in his most freezing tones, "Williams, at present I shall take no further notice of your offence beyond including you in the extra lesson every half-holiday." From that day forward Eric felt that he was marked and suspected, and the feeling worked on him with the worst effects.

He grew more careless in work, and more trifling and indifferent in manner.

Several boys now beat him whom he had easily surpassed before, and his energies were for a time entirely directed to keeping that supremacy in the games which he had won by his activity and strength.
It was a Sunday afternoon, towards the end of the summer term, and the boys were sauntering about in the green playground, or lying on the banks reading and chatting.

Eric was with a little knot of his chief friends, enjoying the sea breeze as they sat on the grass.

At last the bell of the school chapel began to ring, and they went in to the afternoon service.