Ned had never fought in the school, but Tompkins' account of his fight on the moor with Bill Swinton, and the courage he had shown in taking upon himself the office of spokesman in the rebellion against Hathorn, had given him a very high reputation among the boys; and in spite of Mather's greater age and weight there were many who thought that Ned Sankey would make a tough fight of it with the cock of the school.
So the gathering broke up and the boys set to at their games, which were played with a heartiness and zest all the greater that none of them were in pain from recent punishment, and that they could look forward to the afternoon without fear and trembling.
When at twelve o'clock the boys of the first class came out from school the others crowded round to hear the result of the morning's lessons.
They looked bright and pleased.
"I think he is going to turn out a brick," Ripon, the head of the first class, said.

"Of course one can't tell yet.

He was very quiet with us and had a regular examination of each of us.

I don't think he was at all satisfied, though we all did our best, but there was no shouting or scolding.

We are to go in again this afternoon with the rest.