第16章
hischeeryvoiceringsoutoverthefield，andhiseyeiseverywhere。Andifthesemisstheball，anditrollsdangerouslyinfrontofourgoal，CrabJonesandhismenhaveseizeditandsentitawaytowardsthesideswiththeunerringdrop-kick。Thisisworthlivingfor——thewholesumofschool-
boyexistencegatheredupintoonestraining，strugglinghalf-
hour，ahalf-hourworthayearofcommonlife。
Thequartertofivehasstruck，andtheplayslackensforaminutebeforegoal；butthereisCrew，theartfuldodger，drivingtheballinbehindourgoal，ontheislandside，whereourquartersareweakest。Istherenoonetomeethim？Yes；
lookatlittleEast！Theballisjustatequaldistancesbetweenthetwo，andtheyrushtogether，theyoungmanofseventeenandtheboyoftwelve，andkickitatthesamemoment。
Crewpassesonwithoutastagger；Eastishurledforwardbytheshock，andplungesonhisshoulder，asifhewouldburyhimselfintheground；buttheballrisesstraightintotheair，andfallsbehindCrew’sback，whilethe“bravoes“oftheSchool-
houseattestthepluckiestchargeofallthathard-foughtday。
WarnerpicksEastuplameandhalfstunned，andhehobblesbackintogoal，consciousofhavingplayedtheman。
Andnowthelastminutesarecome，andtheSchoolgatherfortheirlastrush，everyboyofthehundredandtwentywhohasarunleftinhim。Recklessofthedefenceoftheirowngoal，ontheycomeacrossthelevelbig-sideground，theballwelldownamongstthem，straightforourgoal，likethecolumnoftheOldGuarduptheslopeatWaterloo。Allformerchargeshavebeenchild’splaytothis。WarnerandHedgehavemetthem，butstillontheycome。Thebull-dogsrushinforthelasttime；theyarehurledoverorcarriedback，strivinghand，foot，andeyelids。
OldBrookecomessweepingroundtheskirtsoftheplay，andturningshortround，picksouttheveryheartofthescrummage，andplungesin。Itwaversforamoment；hehastheball。No，ithaspassedhim，andhisvoiceringsoutclearovertheadvancingtide，“Lookoutingoal！“CrabJonescatchesitforamoment；butbeforehecankick，therushisuponhimandpassesoverhim；andhepickshimselfupbehindthemwithhisstrawinhismouth，alittledirtier，butascoolasever。
TheballrollsslowlyinbehindtheSchool-housegoal，notthreeyardsinfrontofadozenofthebiggestSchoolplayers-up。
TherestandstheSchool-houseprepostor，safestofgoal-keepers，andTomBrownbyhisside，whohaslearnedhistradebythistime。Nowisyourtime，Tom。ThebloodofalltheBrownsisup，andthetworushintogether，andthrowthemselvesontheball，undertheveryfeetoftheadvancingcolumn——theprepostoronhishandsandknees，archinghisback，andTomallalongonhisface。Overthemtoppletheleadersoftherush，shootingoverthebackoftheprepostor，butfallingflatonTom，andknockingallthewindoutofhissmallcarcass。“Ourball，“saystheprepostor，risingwithhisprize；“butgetupthere；there’salittlefellowunderyou。“Theyarehauledandrolloffhim，andTomisdiscovered，amotionlessbody。
OldBrookepickshimup。“Standback，givehimair，“hesays；
andthenfeelinghislimbs，adds，“Nobonesbroken——Howdoyoufeel，youngun？“
“Hah-hah！“gaspsTom，ashiswindcomesback；“prettywell，thankyou——allright。“
“Whoishe？“saysBrooke。
“Oh，it’sBrown；he’sanewboy；Iknowhim，“saysEast，comingup。
“Well，heisapluckyyoungster，andwillmakeaplayer，“saysBrooke。
Andfiveo’clockstrikes。“Noside“iscalled，andthefirstdayoftheSchool-housematchisover。
“Somefoodwehad。“-Shakespeare。
[Greektext]-Theocr。Id。
Astheboysscatteredawayfromtheground，andEast，leaningonTom’sarm，andlimpingalong，wasbeginningtoconsiderwhatluxurytheyshouldgoandbuyforteatocelebratethatgloriousvictory，thetwoBrookescamestridingby。OldBrookecaughtsightofEast，andstopped；puthishandkindlyonhisshoulder，andsaid，“Bravo，youngster；youplayedfamously。Notmuchthematter，Ihope？“
“No，nothingatall，“saidEast——“onlyalittletwistfromthatcharge。“
“Well，mindandgetallrightfornextSaturday。“Andtheleaderpassedon，leavingEastbetterforthosefewwordsthanalltheopodeldocinEnglandwouldhavemadehim，andTomreadytogiveoneofhisearsforasmuchnotice。Ah！lightwordsofthosewhomweloveandhonour，whatapoweryeare，andhowcarelesslywieldedbythosewhocanuseyou！SurelyforthesethingsalsoGodwillaskanaccount。
“Tea’sdirectlyafterlocking-up，yousee，“saidEast，hobblingalongasfastashecould，“soyoucomealongdowntoSallyHarrowell’s；that’sourSchool-housetuck-shop。Shebakessuchstunningmurphies，we’llhaveapenn’ortheachfortea。Comealong，orthey’llallbegone。“
Tom’snewpurseandmoneyburntinhispocket；hewondered，astheytoddledthroughthequadrangleandalongthestreet，whetherEastwouldbeinsultedifhesuggestedfurtherextravagance，ashehadnotsufficientfaithinapennyworthofpotatoes。Atlastheblurtedout，-
“Isay，East，can’twegetsomethingelsebesidespotatoes？
I’vegotlotsofmoney，youknow。“
“Blessus，yes；Iforgot，“saidEast，“you’veonlyjustcome。
Youseeallmytin’sbeengonethistwelveweeks——ithardlyeverlastsbeyondthefirstfortnight；andourallowanceswereallstoppedthismorningforbrokenwindows，soIhaven’tgotapenny。I’vegotatickatSally’s，ofcourse；butthenIhaterunningithigh，yousee，towardstheendofthehalf，’causeonehastoshelloutforitalldirectlyonecomesback，andthat’sabore。“
Tomdidn’tunderstandmuchofthistalk，butseizedonthefactthatEasthadnomoney，andwasdenyinghimselfsomelittlepetluxuryinconsequence。“Well，whatshallIbuy？“saidhe，“I’muncommonhungry。“
“Isay，“saidEast，stoppingtolookathimandresthisleg，“you’reatrump，Brown。I’lldothesamebyyounexthalf。
Let’shaveapoundofsausagesthen。That’sthebestgrubforteaIknowof。“
“Verywell，“saidTom，aspleasedaspossible；“wheredotheysellthem？“
“Oh，overhere，justopposite。“Andtheycrossedthestreetandwalkedintothecleanestlittlefrontroomofasmallhouse，halfparlour，halfshop，andboughtapoundofmostparticularsausages，EasttalkingpleasantlytoMrs。Porterwhilesheputtheminpaper，andTomdoingthepayingpart。
FromPorter’stheyadjournedtoSallyHarrowell’s，wheretheyfoundalotofSchool-houseboyswaitingfortheroastpotatoes，andrelatingtheirownexploitsintheday’smatchatthetopoftheirvoices。ThestreetopenedatonceintoSally’skitchen，alowbrick-flooredroom，withlargerecessforfire，andchimney-
cornerseats。PoorlittleSally，themostgood-naturedandmuch-enduringofwomankind，wasbustlingabout，withanapkininherhand，fromherownoventothoseoftheneighbours’cottagesuptheyardatthebackofthehouse。Stumps，herhusband，ashort，easy-goingshoemaker，withabeery，humorouseyeandponderouscalves，wholivedmostlyonhiswife’searnings，stoodinacorneroftheroom，exchangingshotsoftheroughestdescriptionofreparteewitheveryboyinturn。“Stumps，youlout，you’vehadtoomuchbeeragainto-day。““’Twasn’tofyourpayingfor，then。““Stumps’scalvesarerunningdownintohisankles；theywanttogettograss。““Betterbedoingthatthangonealtogetherlikeyours，“etc。Verypoorstuffitwas，butitservedtomaketimepass；andeverynowandthenSallyarrivedinthemiddlewithasmokingtinofpotatoes，whichwasclearedoffinafewseconds，eachboyasheseizedhislotrunningofftothehousewith“Putmedowntwo-penn’orth，Sally；““Putdownthree-penn’orthbetweenmeandDavis，“etc。
Howsheeverkepttheaccountssostraightasshedid，inherheadandonherslate，wasaperfectwonder。
EastandTomgotservedatlast，andstartedbackfortheSchool-house，justasthelocking-upbellbegantoring，EastonthewayrecountingthelifeandadventuresofStumps，whowasacharacter。Amongsthisothersmallavocations，hewasthehindcarrierofasedan-chair，thelastofitsrace，inwhichtheRugbyladiesstillwentouttotea，andinwhich，whenhewasfairlyharnessedandcarryingaload，itwasthedelightofsmallandmischievousboystofollowhimandwhiphiscalves。
ThiswastoomuchforthetemperevenofStumps，andhewouldpursuehistormentorsinavindictiveandapoplecticmannerwhenreleased，butwaseasilypacifiedbytwopencetobuybeerwith。
Thelower-schoolboysoftheSchool-house，somefifteeninnumber，hadteainthelower-fifthschool，andwerepresidedoverbytheoldvergerorhead-porter。Eachboyhadaquarterofaloafofbreadandpatofbutter，andasmuchteaashepleased；andtherewasscarcelyonewhodidn’taddtothissomefurtherluxury，suchasbakedpotatoes，aherring，sprats，orsomethingofthesort。Butfewatthisperiodofthehalf-yearcouldliveuptoapoundofPorter’ssausages，andEastwasingreatmagnificenceuponthestrengthoftheirs。Hehadproducedatoasting-forkfromhisstudy，andsetTomtotoastthesausages，whilehemountedguardovertheirbutterandpotatoes。
“’Cause，“asheexplained，“you’reanewboy，andthey’llplayyousometrickandgetourbutter；butyoucantoastjustaswellasI。“SoTom，inthemidstofthreeorfourmoreurchinssimilarlyemployed，toastedhisfaceandthesausagesatthesametimebeforethehugefire，tillthelattercracked；whenEastfromhiswatch-towershoutedthattheyweredone，andthenthefeastproceeded，andthefestivecupsofteawerefilledandemptied，andTomimpartedofthesausagesinsmallbitstomanyneighbours，andthoughthehadnevertastedsuchgoodpotatoesorseensuchjollyboys。Theyontheirpartswaivedallceremony，andpeggedawayatthesausagesandpotatoes，andrememberingTom’sperformanceingoal，votedEast’snewcronyabrick。Aftertea，andwhilethethingswerebeingclearedaway，theygatheredroundthefire，andthetalkonthematchstillwenton；andthosewhohadthemtoshowpulleduptheirtrousersandshowedthehackstheyhadreceivedinthegoodcause。