The door opened quietly and closed. A quick whisper ran through the class: the prefect of studies.There was an instant of dead silence and then the loud crack of a pandybat on the last desk. Stephen's heart leapt up in fear.
—Any boys want flogging here, Father Arnall? cried the prefect of studies. Any lazy idle loafers that want flogging in this class.
He came to the middle of the class and saw Fleming on his knees.