He was no longer simply ‘Speccy’ for instance but had acquired other nicknames including ‘the Favourite’ -which meant that Big Stanley had been putting it about that Harry was some sort of teacher’s or headmaster’s pet. And with the help of a twisted sort of logic, of which Stanley was a past-master – not to mention the threat in his pudgy but hard-knuckled fists – it hadn’t taken long to convince even the more liberal-minded lads that there was definitely something fishy about Keogh’s belated emergence as someone who was a bit more than just ‘ordinary’.
Why, for instance, should Speccy – or ‘the Favourite’ -why should he alone get this crack at a special Tech. examination? Other kids had been sick that day, too, hadn’t they? And were they being given special treatment? No they weren’t! It was just because that dreamy little fart got on well with the teachers, that was all. Who was it went digging up stupid, smelly shells for that old bag Miss Gower? Speccy Keogh, that was who – and hadn’t old Sergeant always used to stick up for him? Of course he had! And now, since he’d suddenly started being a bit clever at maths and so on, even snotty old Hannant was on his side. Oh, he was ‘the Favourite’, all right – the four-eyed little fart. But not with Big Stanley Green he wasn’t!
It had all sounded very logical; to which add the now sullen voices of the others who, through no fault of their own, had missed the exam, and soon the bully had a fair-sized crowd of like-minded boys on his side. Even Jimmy Collins seemed of the opinion that something ‘niffed a bit’.
Then Tuesday came around, one week exactly after the gym-teacher’s death, when once more the school trooped down to the beach for what was hopefully to be the last stone-gathering expedition of the season. The idea had been a novelty at first, but now boys and teachers alike were fed up with it; Lane’s death had soured it for everyone. Miss Gower was present, as usual, with Jean Tasker of Science (a little older than Gower but much less frumpish) taking the place of Dorothy Hartley who had been given leave of absence. George Hannant was also there, replacing Graham Lane.
As usual, after the stones had been collected and piled up, the boys were allowed to do their own thing for an hour before carrying their booty back to the school. ‘Gee-gee’ Gower, (as her pupils sometimes called her, referring to her equine aspect as much as her initials) was giving instructions to a bunch of reluctant non-swimmers in a tidal pool; George Hannant and Jean Tasker stood down by the edge of the sea, gathering shells and bright pebbles, chatting and generally passing the time of day. That was when Big Stanley, who could no longer contain his vindictiveness, saw his opportunity to ‘teach Keogh a lesson’.
Harry had been off on his own, head down, hands behind his back, beachcombing; but as he returned to the pile of stones he looked up and spotted Green and a large handful of the others waiting for him.
‘Well, well!’ sneered the bully, pushing his way to the front of the crowd. ‘And if it isn’t our little teacher’s pet – little skinny Speccy Keogh – with a fistful of pretty shells for daft old Gee-gee! How’s things then, Speccy? How d’you fancy your chances with this “special” exam they’ve fixed it for you to take, eh?’
‘Reckon you’ll pass it, do you then, Speccy?’ said another, his voice hard-edged. ‘They’ll push you through it, will they?’
‘Oh, he’s “favourite”, all right!’ said a third. ‘What, him? Teacher’s pet and all – how can he fail?’
Jimmy Collins, towelling himself dry as he came up the beach, saw the mood of the crowd at once but said nothing. Instead he went to the rear of the group, wrapped a towel round his waist and started to dress.
‘Well?’ Green prodded Harry in the chest. ‘How about it, four-eyes? Are the nice teachers going to let you pass your little exam, then – so you can get away from all us nasty rough boys and go to school in Hartlepool with the rest of the fairies?’