"If you want a practical comment on what we've been talking about, you'll see it there," said Montagu.
He pointed to a party of boys, four or five, all lying on a pleasant grass bank, smoking pipes. Prominent among them was Eric, stretched at ease, and looking up at the clouds, towards which curled the puffed fumes of his meerschaum--a gift of Wildney's. That worthy was beside him similarly employed.
The two sixth-form boys hoped to pass by unobserved, as they did not wish for a rencontre with our hero under such circumstances. But they saw Wildney pointing to them, and, from the fits of laughter which followed his remarks, they had little doubt that they were the subject of the young gentleman's wit. This is never a pleasant sensation; but they observed that Eric made a point of not looking their way, and went on in silence.
"How very sad!" said Montagu.
"How very contemptible!" said Owen.
"Did you observe what they were doing?"
"Smoking?"
"Worse than that a good deal. They were doing something which, if Eric doesn't take care, will one day be his ruin."
"What?"
"I saw them drinking. I have little doubt it was brandy."