Of a sudden, to Mr Gunnery's surprise and annoyance, he would lose all interest in this or that science.

Thus, one day the lad declared himself unable to name two stones set before him, felspar and quartz, and when his instructor broke into angry impatience he turned sullenly away, exclaiming that he was tired of geology.
'Tired of geology ?' cried Mr.Gunnery, with flaming eyes.

'Then _I_ am tired of _you_, Master Peak! Be off, and don't come again till I send for you!' Godwin retired without a word.

On the second day he was summoned back again, but his resentment of the dismissal rankled in him for a long time; injury to his pride was the wrong he found it hardest to forgive.
His schoolmaster, aware of the unusual pursuits which he added to the routine of lessons, gave him as a prize the English translation of a book by Figuier--_The World before the Deluge_.

Strongly interested by the illustrations of the volume (fanciful scenes from the successive geologic periods), Godwin at once carried it to his scientific friend.
'Deluge ?' growled Mr.Gunnery.