The only advantage of this arrangement was, that one master walking up and down could keep all the boys in order while they were getting into bed.

About a quarter of an hour was allowed for this process, and then the master went along the rooms putting out the lights.

A few of the "study-boys" were allowed to sit up till ten, and their bedrooms were elsewhere.

The consequence was, that in these dormitories the boys felt perfectly secure from any interruption.

There were only two ways by which a master could get at them; one up the great staircase, and through the lavatory; the other by a door at the extreme end of the range, which led into Dr.Rowlands' house, but was generally kept locked.
In each dormitory slept four or five boys, distributed by their order in the school list, so that, in all the dormitories, there were nearly sixty; and of these a goodly number were, on Eric's arrival, collected in the boarders' room, the rest being in their studies, or in the classrooms which some were allowed to use in order to prevent too great a crowd in the room below.
At nine o'clock the prayer-bell rang.