Chapter 21

⁠​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌⁠Vacation was approaching. The schoolmaster, always severe, grew severer and more exacting than ever, for he wanted the school to make a good showing on “Examination” day. His rod and his ferule were seldom idle now—at least among the smaller pupils. Only the biggest boys, and young ladies of eighteen and twenty, escaped lashing. Mr. Dobbins’ lashings were very vigorous ones, too; for although he c