My books had lain open before me untouched, except when I took a fancy to inscribing my name some scores of times on the title-page of each; my dictionary remained shot and unheeded, except when I rounded the corners of the binding with my penknife.

I had played draughts clandestinely with Evans part of the time, and part of the time I had lolled with my elbows on the desk, staring at the head of the fellow in front of me.
Bedtime came, and I had not looked at my work.
"I'll wake early and cram it up," thought I, as I turned in.
I did wake up, but though the book was under my pillow I let the half- hour before getting up slip away unused.

At breakfast I made an effort to glance at the lesson, but the boy opposite was performing such wonderful tricks of balancing with his teaspoon and saucer and three bread-crusts, that I could not devote attention to anything else.

The bell for classes rang ominously.

I rushed to my place with _Caesar_ in one hand and the "crib" in the other.