"How very contemptible!" said Owen.
"Did you observe what they were doing?"
"Smoking?"
"Worse than that a good deal. They were doing something which, if Eric
doesn't take care, will one day be his ruin."
"What?"
"I saw them drinking. I have little doubt it was brandy."
"Good heavens!"
"It is getting a common practice with some fellows. One of the ripples,
you see, of Brigson's influence."
Before they got home they caught up Wright and Vernon, and walked in
together.
"We've been talking," said Wright, "about a bad matter. Vernon here says
that there's no good working for a prize in his form, because the
cribbing's so atrocious. Indeed, it's very nearly as bad in my form. It
always is under Gordon; he _can't_ understand fellows doing
dishonorable things."
"It's a great bore in the weekly examinations," said Vernon; "every now
and then Gordon will even leave the room for a few minutes, and then out
come dozens of books."
"Well, Wright," said Montagu, "if that happens again next examination,
I'd speak out about it.
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