What can be the matter with him?
Good gracious, he must be ill!" he said, starting up, as Eric suddenly made a great stagger to one side, and nearly fell in the attempt to recover himself.
Wright pulled the little boy down with a firm hand.
"Hush!" he whispered; "take no notice; he's been drinking, Verny, and I fear he'll be caught." Vernon instantly sat down, and turned deadly pale.

He thought, and he had hoped, that since the day at the "Jolly Herring," his brother had abandoned all such practices, for Eric had been most careful to conceal from him the worst of his failings.

And now he trembled violently with fear for his discovery, and horror at his disgraceful condition.
The sound of Eric's unsteady footsteps had made Mr.Rose quickly raise his head; but at the same moment Duncan hastily made room for the boy on the seat beside him, and held out his hand to assist him.

It was not Eric's proper place; but Mr.Rose, after one long look of astonishment, looked down at his book again, and said nothing.
It made other hearts besides Vernon's ache to see the unhappy boy roll to his place in that helpless way.
Dr.Rowlands came in, and prayers commenced.

When they were finished, the names were called, and Eric, instead of quietly answering his "adsum," as he should have done, stood up, with a foolish look, and said, "Yes, Sir." The head master looked at him for a minute; the boy's glassy eyes, and jocosely stupid appearance, told an unmistakable tale; but Dr.Rowlands only remarked, "Williams, you don't look well.