It made him very sad, and he stopped to look at the boy from whom he had parted on such friendly terms so short a time before.

Eric did not pretend to be asleep, but opened his eyes, and looked at the head-master.

Very sorrowfully Dr.Rowlands shook his head, and went away.

Eric never saw him again.
The moment he was gone Eric got up.

He meant to go to his study, collect the few presents, which were his dearest mementos of Russell, Wildney, and his other friends--above all, Vernon's likeness--and then make his escape from the building, using for the last time the broken pane and loosened bar in the corridor, with which past temptations had made him so familiar.
He turned the handle of the door and pushed, but it did not yield.