"He seemed to them sulky, disdainful, unsociable...." almost a description of Harry Wharton on his first day at Greyfriars. But not quite, though
this character is so like Wharton on one of his bad days: "the memory of a day of shame and humiliation, the breaking of all his boyish hopes that made Eric Wilmot what he appeared to be."
Eric is the latest arrival and of course he's put into Study No1 with Harry. But he is uncommunicative, and answers any questions about himself in monosyllables.
Indeed we know he has something to hide. Unfortunately for "poor little Eric" Bunter has an inkling of his tragedy, though he doesn't fully comprehend it. Not that we readers are told everything.
But we have seen Bunter over at St Jude's where a soccer match is revealing Wilmot's prowess as he puts the pill in four times. But we also see some unspecified dark tragedy after the match as
Wilmot, face drawn, slinks away. But we know he's a decent chap, for anyone, almost, who scores goals, is bound to be. And we sense his disaster is something to do with a chap called Crawley.
Eric is nephew of Hacker, and this enables him to make a fresh start at Greyfriars, though he is too downcast to take his chance, too afraid his secret past will catch up with him. He rejects all overtures of friendship,
except from Bunter, who must keep the secret. "The barest possibility of his disgrace becoming known at Greyfriars made the new junior quiver. If the truth came out there would be no friend to turn him down, as he had made no friends.
It was better to be a disliked outsider than to face the possibility of fresh humiliations. So it seemed to the boy whose little world had fallen in ruins round him."
After a fight with Smithy, which earns him the Bounder's hatred, he becomes disliked by one and all. In the second story Harry forces him to turn up for games practice as it's a compulsory day, but ends up being reprimanded by 'Uncle' Hacker.
The third story in the series sees Harry thinking Eric actually wants to join in a pick-up, and so begs Quelch to let Wilmot off his detention. But Eric is desperate to get to see Crawley who is threatening to come to Greyfriars otherwise, and Harry is badly let down.
In the final story Eric Wilmot's football prowess is revealed by Bunter of all men, and Harry puts him in the team for the Rookwood match, much to Smithy's chagrin. The Bounder locks Eric in a turret, but risking life and limb, Eric climbs out
and turns up to help Greyfriars beat their old rivals by an impressive 5-1.
However Wilmot's restoration to his former school Topham is held over until Magnets 1469 and 1470, whilst the Chums of the Remove spend an exciting winter break in Brazil.