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Farrar, Frederic William, 1831-1903

"Eric"


"Well, good night! and don't lose heart."
Eric went back to Duncan in the study, and they finished the other
bottle of beer between them, though without much enjoyment, because they
were full of surmises as to the extent of the discovery, and the nature
of the punishment.
Eric went in to tell Montagu of their escapade.
He listened very coldly, and said, "Well, Eric, it would serve you right
to be caught. What business have you to be going out at night, at the
invitation of contemptible small fry, like this little Wildney?"
"I beg you won't speak of any friend of mine in those terms," said Eric,
drawing up haughtily.
"I hope you don't call a bad little boy like Wildney, who'd be no
credit to any one, _your_ friend, Eric?"
"Yes I do, though. He's one of the pluckiest, finest, most promising
fellows in the lower school."
"How I begin to hate that word plucky," said Montagu; "it's made the
excuse here for everything that's wrong, base, and unmanly. It seems to
me it's infinitely more 'plucky' just now to do your duty and not be
ashamed of it.


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