“No！Didyou？Tellushowitwas？“criedachorusofvoices，astheyclusteredroundhim。
“Well，justasitiswithyou。Thefifthformwouldfagus，andIandsomemorestruck，andwebeat’em。Thegoodfellowsleftoffdirectly，andthebullieswhokeptonsoongotafraid。“
“WasFlashmanherethen？“
“Yes；andadirty，little，snivelling，sneakingfellowhewastoo。Heneverdaredjoinus，andusedtotoadythebulliesbyofferingtofagforthem，andpeachingagainsttherestofus。“
“Whywasn’thecut，then？“saidEast。
“Oh，toadiesnevergetcut；they’retoouseful。Besides，hehasnoendofgreathampersfromhome，withwineandgameinthem；
sohetoadiedandfedhimselfintofavour。“
Thequarter-to-tenbellnowrang，andthesmallboyswentoffupstairs，stillconsultingtogether，andpraisingtheirnewcounsellor，whostretchedhimselfoutonthebenchbeforethehallfireagain。Therehelay，averyqueerspecimenofboyhood，bynameDiggs，andfamiliarlycalled“theMucker。“Hewasyoungforhissize，andaverycleverfellow，nearlyatthetopofthefifth。Hisfriendsathome，havingregard，I
suppose，tohisage，andnottohissizeandplaceintheschool，hadn’tputhimintotails；andevenhisjacketswerealwaystoosmall；andhehadatalentfordestroyingclothesandmakinghimselflookshabby。Hewasn’tontermswithFlashman’sset，whosneeredathisdressandwaysbehindhisback；whichheknew，andrevengedhimselfbyaskingFlashmanthemostdisagreeablequestions，andtreatinghimfamiliarlywheneveracrowdofboyswereroundhim。Neitherwasheintimatewithanyoftheotherbiggerboys，whowerewarnedoffbyhisoddnesses，forhewasaveryqueerfellow；besides，amongstotherfailings，hehadthatofimpecuniosityinaremarkabledegree。Hebroughtasmuchmoneyasotherboystoschool，butgotridofitinnotime，nooneknewhow；andthen，beingalsoreckless，borrowedfromanyone；andwhenhisdebtsaccumulatedandcreditorspressed，wouldhaveanauctioninthehallofeverythinghepossessedintheworld，sellingevenhisschool-books，candlestick，andstudytable。Forweeksafteroneoftheseauctions，havingrenderedhisstudyuninhabitable，hewouldliveaboutinthefifth-formroomandhall，doinghisversesonoldletter-backsandoddscrapsofpaper，andlearninghislessonsnooneknewhow。Henevermeddledwithanylittleboy，andwaspopularwiththem，thoughtheyalllookedonhimwithasortofcompassion，andcalledhim“PoorDiggs，“notbeingabletoresistappearances，ortodisregardwhollyeventhesneersoftheirenemyFlashman。However，heseemedequallyindifferenttothesneersofbigboysandthepityofsmallones，andlivedhisownqueerlifewithmuchapparentenjoymenttohimself。ItisnecessarytointroduceDiggsthusparticularly，ashenotonlydidTomandEastgoodserviceintheirpresentwarfare，asisabouttobetold，butsoonafterwards，whenhegotintothesixth，chosethemforhisfags，andexcusedthemfromstudy-
fagging，therebyearninguntohimselfeternalgratitudefromthemandallwhoareinterestedintheirhistory。
Andseldomhadsmallboysmoreneedofafriend，forthemorningafterthesiegethestormburstupontherebelsinallitsviolence。Flashmanlaidwait，andcaughtTombeforesecondlesson，andreceivingapoint-blank“No“whentoldtofetchhishat，seizedhimandtwistedhisarm，andwentthroughtheothermethodsoftortureinuse。“Hecouldn’tmakemecry，though，“
asTomsaidtriumphantlytotherestoftherebels；“andI
kickedhisshinswell，Iknow。“Andsoonitcreptoutthatalotofthefagswereinleague，andFlashmanexcitedhisassociatestojoinhiminbringingtheyoungvagabondstotheirsenses；andthehousewasfilledwithconstantchasings，andsieges，andlickingsofallsorts；andinreturn，thebullies’
bedswerepulledtopiecesanddrenchedwithwater，andtheirnameswrittenuponthewallswitheveryinsultingepithetwhichthefaginventioncouldfurnish。Thewar，inshort，ragedfiercely；butsoon，asDiggshadtoldthem，allthebetterfellowsinthefifthgaveuptryingtofagthem，andpublicfeelingbegantosetagainstFlashmanandhistwoorthreeintimates，andtheywereobligedtokeeptheirdoingsmoresecret，butbeingthoroughbadfellows，missednoopportunityoftorturinginprivate。Flashmanwasanadeptinallways，butaboveallinthepowerofsayingcuttingandcruelthings，andcouldoftenbringtearstotheeyesofboysinthisway，whichallthethrashingsintheworldwouldn’thavewrungfromthem。
Andashisoperationswerebeingcutshortinotherdirections，henowdevotedhimselfchieflytoTomandEast，wholivedathisowndoor，andwouldforcehimselfintotheirstudywheneverhefoundachance，andsitthere，sometimesalone，andsometimeswithacompanion，interruptingalltheirwork，andexultingintheevidentpainwhicheverynowandthenhecouldseehewasinflictingononeortheother。
Thestormhadclearedtheairfortherestofthehouse，andabetterstateofthingsnowbeganthantherehadbeensinceoldBrookehadleft；butanangry，darkspotofthunder-cloudstillhungovertheendofthepassagewhereFlashman’sstudyandthatofEastandTomlay。
Hefeltthattheyhadbeenthefirstrebels，andthattherebellionhadbeentoagreatextentsuccessful；butwhataboveallstirredthehatredandbitternessofhisheartagainstthemwasthatinthefrequentcollisionswhichtherehadbeenoflatetheyhadopenlycalledhimcowardandsneak。Thetauntsweretootruetobeforgiven。Whilehewasintheactofthrashingthem，theywouldroaroutinstancesofhisfunkingatfootball，orshirkingsomeencounterwithaloutofhalfhisownsize。
Thesethingswereallwellenoughknowninthehouse，buttohavehisowndisgraceshoutedoutbysmallboys，tofeelthattheydespisedhim，tobeunabletosilencethembyanyamountoftorture，andtoseetheopenlaughandsneerofhisownassociateswhowerelookingon，andtooknotroubletohidetheirscornfromhim，thoughtheyneitherinterferedwithhisbullyingnorlivedabitthelessintimatelywithhim，madehimbesidehimself。Comewhatmight，hewouldmakethoseboys’
livesmiserable。SothestrifesettleddownintoapersonalaffairbetweenFlashmanandouryoungsters——awartotheknife，tobefoughtoutinthelittlecockpitattheendofthebottompassage。
Flashman，beitsaid，wasaboutseventeenyearsold，andbigandstrongofhisage。Heplayedwellatallgameswherepluckwasn’tmuchwanted，andmanagedgenerallytokeepupappearanceswhereitwas；andhavingabluff，off-handmanner，whichpassedforheartiness，andconsiderablepowersofbeingpleasantwhenheliked，wentdownwiththeschoolingeneralforagoodfellowenough。EvenintheSchool-house，bydintofhiscommandofmoney，theconstantsupplyofgoodthingswhichhekeptup，andhisadroittoadyism，hehadmanagedtomakehimselfnotonlytolerated，butratherpopularamongsthisowncontemporaries；
althoughyoungBrookescarcelyspoketohim，andoneortwoothersoftherightsortshowedtheiropinionsofhimwheneverachanceoffered。Butthewrongsorthappenedtobeintheascendantjustnow，andsoFlashmanwasaformidableenemyforsmallboys。Thissoonbecameplainenough。Flashmanleftnoslanderunspoken，andnodeedundone，whichcouldinanywayhurthisvictims，orisolatethemfromtherestofthehouse。
Onebyonemostoftheotherrebelsfellawayfromthem，whileFlashman’scauseprospered，andseveralotherfifth-formboysbegantolookblackatthemandill-treatthemastheypassedaboutthehouse。Bykeepingoutofbounds，oratalleventsoutofthehouseandquadrangle，allday，andcarefullybarringthemselvesinatnight，EastandTommanagedtoholdonwithoutfeelingverymiserable；butitwasasmuchastheycoulddo。
GreatlyweretheydrawnthentowardsoldDiggs，who，inanuncouthway，begantotakeagooddealofnoticeofthem，andonceortwicecametotheirstudywhenFlashmanwasthere，whoimmediatelydecampedinconsequence。TheboysthoughtthatDiggsmusthavebeenwatching。
Whentherefore，aboutthistime，anauctionwasonenightannouncedtotakeplaceinthehall，atwhich，amongstthesuperfluitiesofotherboys，allDiggs’spenatesforthetimebeingweregoingtothehammer，EastandTomlaidtheirheadstogether，andresolvedtodevotetheirreadycashsomefourshillingssterlingtoredeemsucharticlesasthatsumwouldcover。Accordingly，theydulyattendedtobid，andTombecametheowneroftwolotsofDiggs’sthings:——Lot1，priceone-and-
threepence，consistingastheauctioneerremarkedofa“valuableassortmentofoldmetals，“intheshapeofamouse-
trap，acheese-toasterwithoutahandle，andasaucepan:Lot2，ofavillainousdirtytable-clothandgreen-baizecurtain；whileEast，forone-and-sixpence，purchasedaleatherpaper-case，withalockbutnokey，oncehandsome，butnowmuchtheworseforwear。ButtheyhadstillthepointtosettleofhowtogetDiggstotakethethingswithouthurtinghisfeelings。Thistheysolvedbyleavingtheminhisstudy，whichwasneverlockedwhenhewasout。Diggs，whohadattendedtheauction，rememberedwhohadboughtthelots，andcametotheirstudysoonafter，andsatsilentforsometime，crackinghisgreatredfinger-joints。Thenhelaidholdoftheirverses，andbeganlookingoverandalteringthem，andatlastgotup，andturninghisbacktothem，said，“You’reuncommongood-heartedlittlebeggars，youtwo。Ivaluethatpaper-case；mysistergaveittomelastholidays。Iwon’tforget。“Andsohetumbledoutintothepassage，leavingthemsomewhatembarrassed，butnotsorrythatheknewwhattheyhaddone。
ThenextmorningwasSaturday，thedayonwhichtheallowancesofoneshillingaweekwerepaid——animportanteventtospendthriftyoungsters；andgreatwasthedisgustamongstthesmallfrytohearthatalltheallowanceshadbeenimpoundedfortheDerbylottery。ThatgreateventintheEnglishyear，theDerby，wascelebratedatRugbyinthosedaysbymanylotteries。
Itwasnotanimprovingcustom，Iown，gentlereader，andledtomakingbooks，andbetting，andotherobjectionableresults；butwhenourgreatHousesofPalaverthinkitrighttostopthenation’sbusinessonthatdayandmanyofthemembersbetheavilythemselves，canyoublameusboysforfollowingtheexampleofourbetters？Atanyratewedidfollowit。Firsttherewasthegreatschoollottery，wherethefirstprizewassixorsevenpounds；theneachhousehadoneormoreseparatelotteries。Thesewereallnominallyvoluntary，noboybeingcompelledtoputinhisshillingwhodidn’tchoosetodoso。
ButbesidesFlashman，therewerethreeorfourotherfast，sportingyounggentlemenintheSchoolhouse，whoconsideredsubscriptionamatterofdutyandnecessity；andso，tomaketheirdutycomeeasytothesmallboys，quietlysecuredtheallowancesinalumpwhengivenoutfordistribution，andkeptthem。Itwasnousegrumbling——somanyfewertartletsandappleswereeatenandfivesballsboughtonthatSaturday；andafterlocking-up，whenthemoneywouldotherwisehavebeenspent，consolationwascarriedtomanyasmallboybythesoundofthenight-fagsshoutingalongthepassages，“GentlemensportsmenoftheSchool-house；thelottery’sgoingtobedrawninthehall。“Itwaspleasanttobecalledagentlemansportsman，alsotohaveachanceofdrawingafavouritehorse。
Thehallwasfullofboys，andattheheadofoneofthelongtablesstoodthesportinginterest，withahatbeforethem，inwhichweretheticketsfoldedup。Oneofthemthenbegancallingoutthelistofthehouse。Eachboyashisnamewascalleddrewaticketfromthehat，andopenedit；andmostofthebiggerboys，afterdrawing，leftthehalldirectlytogobacktotheirstudiesorthefifth-formroom。Thesportinginteresthadalldrawnblanks，andtheyweresulkyaccordingly；
neitherofthefavouriteshadyetbeendrawn，andithadcomedowntotheupper-fourth。Sonow，aseachsmallboycameupanddrewhisticket，itwasseizedandopenedbyFlashman，orsomeotherofthestanders-by。ButnogreatfavouriteisdrawnuntilitcomestotheTadpole’sturn，andheshufflesupanddraws，andtriestomakeoff，butiscaught，andhisticketisopenedliketherest。