and，asoldBrookehadprophesied，thehousebydegreesbrokeupintosmallsetsandparties，andlostthestrongfeelingoffellowshipwhichhesetsomuchstoreby，andwithitmuchoftheprowessingamesandtheleadinallschoolmatterswhichhehaddonesomuchtokeepup。
Innoplaceintheworldhasindividualcharactermoreweightthanatapublicschool。Rememberthis，Ibeseechyou，allyouboyswhoaregettingintotheupperforms。Nowisthetimeinallyourlives，probably，whenyoumayhavemorewideinfluenceforgoodorevilonthesocietyyouliveinthanyouevercanhaveagain。Quityourselveslikemen，then；speakup，andstrikeoutifnecessary，forwhatsoeveristrue，andmanly，andlovely，andofgoodreport；nevertrytobepopular，butonlytodoyourdutyandhelpotherstodotheirs，andyoumayleavethetoneoffeelingintheschoolhigherthanyoufoundit，andsobedoinggoodwhichnolivingsoulcanmeasuretogenerationsofyourcountrymenyetunborn。Forboysfollowoneanotherinherdslikesheep，forgoodorevil；theyhatethinking，andhaverarelyanysettledprinciples。Everyschool，indeed，hasitsowntraditionarystandardofrightandwrong，whichcannotbetransgressedwithimpunity，markingcertainthingsaslowandblackguard，andcertainothersaslawfulandright。Thisstandardisevervarying，thoughitchangesonlyslowlyandlittlebylittle；and，subjectonlytosuchstandard，itistheleadingboysforthetimebeingwhogivethetonetoalltherest，andmaketheSchooleitheranobleinstitutionforthetrainingofChristianEnglishmen，oraplacewhereayoungboywillgetmoreevilthanhewouldifhewereturnedouttomakehiswayinLondonstreets，oranythingbetweenthesetwoextremes。
ThechangefortheworseintheSchool-house，however，didn’tpressveryheavilyonouryoungstersforsometime。Theywereinagoodbedroom，whereslepttheonlyprepostorleftwhowasabletokeepthoroughorder，andtheirstudywasinhispassage。
So，thoughtheywerefaggedmoreorless，andoccasionallykickedorcuffedbythebullies，theywere，onthewhole，welloff；andthefresh，braveschool-life，sofullofgames，adventures，andgood-fellowship，soreadyatforgetting，socapaciousatenjoying，sobrightatforecasting，outweighedathousand-foldtheirtroubleswiththemasteroftheirform，andtheoccasionalill-usageofthebigboysinthehouse。Itwasn’ttillsomeyearorsoaftertheeventsrecordedabovethattheprepostoroftheirroomandpassageleft。Noneoftheothersixth-formboyswouldmoveintotheirpassage，and，tothedisgustandindignationofTomandEast，onemorningafterbreakfasttheywereseizeduponbyFlashman，andmadetocarrydownhisbooksandfurnitureintotheunoccupiedstudy，whichhehadtaken。FromthistimetheybegantofeeltheweightofthetyrannyofFlashmanandhisfriends，and，nowthattroublehadcomehometotheirowndoors，begantolookoutforsympathizersandpartnersamongsttherestofthefags；andmeetingsoftheoppressedbegantobeheld，andmurmurstoarise，andplotstobelaidastohowtheyshouldfreethemselvesandbeavengedontheirenemies。
Whilematterswereinthisstate，EastandTomwereoneeveningsittingintheirstudy。Theyhaddonetheirworkforfirstlesson，andTomwasinabrownstudy，brooding，likeayoungWilliamTell，uponthewrongsoffagsingeneral，andhisowninparticular。
“Isay，Scud，“saidheatlast，rousinghimselftosnuffthecandle，“whatrighthavethefifth-formboystofagusastheydo？“
“Nomorerightthanyouhavetofagthem，“answeredEast，withoutlookingupfromanearlynumberof“Pickwick，“whichwasjustcomingout，andwhichhewasluxuriouslydevouring，stretchedonhisbackonthesofa。
Tomrelapsedintohisbrownstudy，andEastwentonreadingandchuckling。Thecontrastoftheboys’faceswouldhavegiveninfiniteamusementtoalooker-on——theonesosolemnandbigwithmightypurpose，theotherradiantandbubblingoverwithfun。
“Doyouknow，oldfellow，I’vebeenthinkingitoveragooddeal，“beganTomagain。
“Ohyes，Iknow——faggingyouarethinkingof。Hangitall！
Butlistenhere，Tom——here’sfun。Mr。Winkle’shorse——“
“AndI’vemadeupmymind，“brokeinTom，“thatIwon’tfagexceptforthesixth。“
“Quiterighttoo，myboy，“criedEast，puttinghisfingerontheplaceandlookingup；“butaprettypeckoftroublesyou’llgetinto，ifyou’regoingtoplaythatgame。However，I’mallforastrikemyself，ifwecangetotherstojoin。It’sgettingtoobad。“
“Can’twegetsomesixth-formfellowtotakeitup？“askedTom。
“Well，perhapswemight。Morganwouldinterfere，Ithink。
Only，“addedEast，afteramoment’spause，“yousee，weshouldhavetotellhimaboutit，andthat’sagainstSchoolprinciples。
Don’tyourememberwhatoldBrookesaidaboutlearningtotakeourownparts？“
“Ah，IwisholdBrookewerebackagain。Itwasallrightinhistime。“
“Why，yes，yousee，thenthestrongestandbestfellowswereinthesixth，andthefifth-formfellowswereafraidofthem，andtheykeptgoodorder；butnowoursixth-formfellowsaretoosmall，andthefifthdon’tcareforthem，anddowhattheylikeinthehouse。“
“Andsowegetadoublesetofmasters，“criedTomindignantly——
“thelawfulones，whoareresponsibletotheDoctoratanyrate，andtheunlawful，thetyrants，whoareresponsibletonobody。“
“Downwiththetyrants！“criedEast；“I’mallforlawandorder，andhurrahforarevolution。“
“Ishouldn’tmindifitwereonlyforyoungBrookenow，“saidTom；“he’ssuchagood-hearted，gentlemanlyfellow，andoughttobeinthesixth。I’ddoanythingforhim。ButthatblackguardFlashman，whoneverspeakstoonewithoutakickoranoath——“
“Thecowardlybrute，“brokeinEast——“howIhatehim！Andheknowsittoo；heknowsthatyouandIthinkhimacoward。Whataborethathe’sgotastudyinthispassage！Don’tyouhearthemnowatsupperinhisden？Brandy-punchgoing，I’llbet。I
wishtheDoctorwouldcomeoutandcatchhim。Wemustchangeourstudyassoonaswecan。“
“Changeornochange，I’llneverfagforhimagain，“saidTom，thumpingthetable。
“Fa-a-a-ag！“soundedalongthepassagefromFlashman’sstudy。
Thetwoboyslookedatoneanotherinsilence。Ithadstrucknine，sotheregularnight-fagshadleftduty，andtheywerethenearesttothesupper-party。Eastsatup，andbegantolookcomical，ashealwaysdidunderdifficulties。
“Fa-a-a-ag！“again。Noanswer。
“Here，Brown！East！youcursedyoungskulks，“roaredoutFlashman，comingtohisopendoor；“Iknowyou’rein；noshirking。“
Tomstoletotheirdoor，anddrewtheboltsasnoiselesslyashecould；Eastblewoutthecandle。
“Barricadethefirst，“whisperedhe。“Now，Tom，mind，nosurrender。“
“Trustmeforthat，“saidTombetweenhisteeth。
Inanotherminutetheyheardthesupper-partyturnoutandcomedownthepassagetotheirdoor。Theyheldtheirbreaths，andheardwhispering，ofwhichtheyonlymadeoutFlashman’swords，“Iknowtheyoungbrutesarein。“
Thencamesummonsestoopen，whichbeingunanswered，theassaultcommenced。Luckilythedoorwasagoodstrongoakone，andresistedtheunitedweightofFlashman’sparty。Apausefollowed，andtheyheardabesiegerremark，“They’reinsafeenough。Don’tyouseehowthedoorholdsattopandbottom？Sotheboltsmustbedrawn。Weshouldhaveforcedthelocklongago。“EastgaveTomanudge，tocallattentiontothisscientificremark。
Thencameattacksonparticularpanels，oneofwhichatlastgavewaytotherepeatedkicks；butitbrokeinwards，andthebrokenpiecesgotjammedacrossthedoorbeinglinedwithgreenbaize，andcouldn’teasilyberemovedfromoutside:andthebesieged，scorningfurtherconcealment，strengthenedtheirdefencesbypressingtheendoftheirsofaagainstthedoor。
So，afteroneortwomoreineffectualefforts，FlashmanandCompanyretired，vowingvengeanceinnomildterms。
Thefirstdangerover，itonlyremainedforthebesiegedtoeffectasaferetreat，asitwasnownearbed-time。Theylistenedintently，andheardthesupper-partyresettlethemselves，andthengentlydrewbackfirstoneboltandthentheother。Presentlytheconvivialnoisesbeganagainsteadily。
“Nowthen，standbyforarun，“saidEast，throwingthedoorwideopenandrushingintothepassage，closelyfollowedbyTom。
Theyweretooquicktobecaught；butFlashmanwasonthelookout，andsentanemptypickle-jarwhizzingafterthem，whichnarrowlymissedTom’shead，andbrokeintotwentypiecesattheendofthepassage。“Hewouldn’tmindkillingone，ifhewasn’tcaught，“saidEast，astheyturnedthecorner。
Therewasnopursuit，sothetwoturnedintothehall，wheretheyfoundaknotofsmallboysroundthefire。Theirstorywastold。Thewarofindependencehadbrokenout。Whowouldjointherevolutionaryforces？Severalotherspresentboundthemselvesnottofagforthefifthformatonce。Oneortwoonlyedgedoff，andlefttherebels。Whatelsecouldtheydo？
“I’veagoodmindtogototheDoctorstraight，“saidTom。
“That’llneverdo。Don’tyourememberthelevyoftheschoollasthalf？“putinanother。
Infact，thesolemnassembly，alevyoftheSchool，hadbeenheld，atwhichthecaptainoftheSchoolhadgotup，andafterpremisingthatseveralinstanceshadoccurredofmattershavingbeenreportedtothemasters；thatthiswasagainstpublicmoralityandSchooltradition；thatalevyofthesixthhadbeenheldonthesubject，andtheyhadresolvedthatthepracticemustbestoppedatonce；andgivenoutthatanyboy，inwhateverform，whoshouldthenceforthappealtoamaster，withouthavingfirstgonetosomeprepostorandlaidthecasebeforehim，shouldbethrashedpublicly，andsenttoCoventry。
“Well，then，let’strythesixth。TryMorgan，“suggestedanother。“Nouse“——“Blabbingwon’tdo，“wasthegeneralfeeling。
“I’llgiveyoufellowsapieceofadvice，“saidavoicefromtheendofthehall。Theyallturnedroundwithastart，andthespeakergotupfromabenchonwhichhehadbeenlyingunobserved，andgavehimselfashake。Hewasabig，loose-madefellow，withhugelimbswhichhadgrowntoofarthroughhisjacketandtrousers。“Don’tyougotoanybodyatall——youjuststandout；sayyouwon’tfag。They’llsoongettiredoflickingyou。I’vetrieditonyearsagowiththeirforerunners。“