In the gathering gloom there had been more than the usual amount of wandering from one part of the school to another, and the elder Bruce had stolen to a form occupied by some little boys, next to the one on which Annie sat with her back towards them.

If it was not the real object of his expedition, at least he took the opportunity to give Annie a spiteful dig with his elbow; which, operating even more powerfully than he had intended, forced from her an involuntary cry.

Now the master indulged in an occasional refinement of the executive, which consisted in this: he threw the _tawse_ at the offender, not so much for the sake of hurting--although that, being a not infrequent result, may be supposed to have had a share in the intention--as of humiliating; for the culprit had to bear the instrument of torture back to the hands of the executioner.

He threw the tawse at Annie, half, let us suppose, in thoughtless cruelty, half in evil jest.

It struck her rather sharply, before she had recovered breath after the blow Bruce had given her.