Sotheyreconnoitredthewallscarefully，borrowedacoal-hammerfromoldStumps，boughtsomebignails，andafteroneortwoattempts，scaledtheSchools，andpossessedthemselvesofhugequantitiesoffivesballs。Theplacepleasedthemsomuchthattheyspentalltheirsparetimethere，scratchingandcuttingtheirnamesonthetopofeverytower；andatlast，havingexhaustedallotherplaces，finishedupwithinscribingH。EAST，T。BROWN，ontheminute-handofthegreatclock；inthedoingofwhichtheyheldtheminute-hand，anddisturbedtheclock’seconomy。Sonextmorning，whenmastersandboyscametroopingdowntoprayers，andenteredthequadrangle，theinjuredminute-
handwasindicatingthreeminutestothehour。Theyallpulledup，andtooktheirtime。Whenthehourstruck，doorswereclosed，andhalftheschoollate。Thomasbeingsettomakeinquiry，discoverstheirnamesontheminute-hand，andreportsaccordingly；andtheyaresentfor，aknotoftheirfriendsmakingderisiveandpantomimicallusionstowhattheirfatewillbeastheywalkoff。
ButtheDoctor，afterhearingtheirstory，doesn’tmakemuchofit，andonlygivesthemthirtylinesofHomertolearnbyheart，andalectureonthelikelihoodofsuchexploitsendinginbrokenbones。
Alas！almostthenextdaywasoneofthegreatfairsinthetown；andasseveralrowsandotherdisagreeableaccidentshadoflatetakenplaceontheseoccasions，theDoctorgivesout，afterprayersinthemorning，thatnoboyistogodownintothetown。WhereforeEastandTom，fornoearthlypleasureexceptthatofdoingwhattheyaretoldnottodo，startaway，aftersecondlesson，andmakingashortcircuitthroughthefields，strikeabacklanewhichleadsintothetown，godownit，andrunplumpupononeofthemastersastheyemergeintotheHighStreet。Themasterinquestion，thoughaveryclever，isnotarighteousman。Hehasalreadycaughtseveralofhisownpupils，andgivesthemlinestolearn，whilehesendsEastandTom，whoarenothispupils，uptotheDoctor，who，onlearningthattheyhadbeenatprayersinthemorning，flogsthemsoundly。
Thefloggingdidthemnogoodatthetime，fortheinjusticeoftheircaptorwasranklingintheirminds；butitwasjusttheendofthehalf，andonthenexteveningbutoneThomasknocksattheirdoor，andsaystheDoctorwantstoseethem。Theylookatoneanotherinsilentdismay。Whatcanitbenow？Whichoftheircountlesswrong-doingscanhehaveheardofofficially？
However，it’snousedelaying，souptheygotothestudy。
TheretheyfindtheDoctor，notangry，butverygraver。“Hehassentforthemtospeaktoveryseriouslybeforetheygohome。
Theyhaveeachbeenfloggedseveraltimesinthehalf-yearfordirectandwilfulbreachesofrules。Thiscannotgoon。Theyaredoingnogoodtothemselvesorothers，andnowtheyaregettingupintheSchool，andhaveinfluence。Theyseemtothinkthatrulesaremadecapriciously，andforthepleasureofthemasters；butthisisnotso。TheyaremadeforthegoodofthewholeSchool，andmustandshallbeobeyed。ThosewhothoughtlesslyorwilfullybreakthemwillnotbeallowedtostayattheSchool。Heshouldbesorryiftheyhadtoleave，astheSchoolmightdothembothmuchgood，andwishesthemtothinkveryseriouslyintheholidaysoverwhathehassaid。Good-
night。“
Andsothetwohurryoffhorriblyscared；theideaofhavingtoleavehasnevercrossedtheirminds，andisquiteunbearable。
Astheygoout，theymeetatthedooroldHolmes，asturdy，cheeryprepostorofanotherhouse，whogoesintotheDoctor；
andtheyhearhisgenial，heartygreetingofthenewcomer，sodifferenttotheirownreception，asthedoorcloses，andreturntotheirstudywithheavyhearts，andtremendousresolvestobreaknomorerules。
Fiveminutesafterwardsthemasteroftheirform——alatearrivalandamodelyoungmaster——knocksattheDoctor’sstudy-
door。“Comein！“Andasheenters，theDoctorgoeson，toHolmes——“Yousee，Idonotknowanythingofthecaseofficially，andifItakeanynoticeofitatall，Imustpubliclyexpeltheboy。Idon’twishtodothat，forIthinkthereissomegoodinhim。There’snothingforitbutagoodsoundthrashing。“Hepausedtoshakehandswiththemaster，whichHolmesdoesalso，andthenpreparestoleave。
“Iunderstand。Good-night，sir。“
“Good-night，Holmes。Andremember，“addedtheDoctor，emphasizingthewords，“agoodsoundthrashingbeforethewholehouse。“
ThedoorclosedonHolmes；andtheDoctor，inanswertothepuzzledlookofhislieutenant，explainedshortly。“Agrosscaseofbullying。Wharton，theheadofthehouse，isaverygoodfellow，butslightandweak，andseverephysicalpainistheonlywaytodealwithsuchacase；soIhaveaskedHolmestotakeitup。Heisverycarefulandtrustworthy，andhasplentyofstrength。Iwishallthesixthhadasmuch。Wemusthaveithere，ifwearetokeeporderatall。“
NowIdon’twantanywiseacrestoreadthisbook，butiftheyshould，ofcoursetheywillprickuptheirlongears，andhowl，orratherbray，attheabovestory。Verygood——Idon’tobject；
butwhatIhavetoaddforyouboysisthis，thatHolmescalledalevyofhishouseafterbreakfastnextmorning，madethemaspeechonthecaseofbullyinginquestion，andthengavethebullya“goodsoundthrashing；“andthatyearsafterwards，thatboysoughtoutHolmes，andthankedhim，sayingithadbeenthekindestactwhichhadeverbeendoneuponhim，andtheturning-
pointinhischaracter；andaverygoodfellowhebecame，andacredittohisSchool。
Aftersomeothertalkbetweenthem，theDoctorsaid，“Iwanttospeaktoyouabouttwoboysinyourform，EastandBrown。I
havejustbeenspeakingtothem。Whatdoyouthinkofthem？“
“Well，theyarenothardworkers，andverythoughtlessandfullofspirits；butIcan’thelplikingthem。Ithinktheyaresound，goodfellowsatthebottom。“
“I’mgladofit。Ithinksotoo:Buttheymakemeveryuneasy。
Theyaretakingtheleadagooddealamongstthefagsinmyhouse，fortheyareveryactive，boldfellows。Ishouldbesorrytolosethem，butIshan’tletthemstayifIdon’tseethemgainingcharacterandmanliness。Inanotheryeartheymaydogreatharmtoalltheyoungerboys。“
“Oh，Ihopeyouwon’tsendthemaway，“pleadedtheirmaster。
“NotifIcanhelpit。ButnowIneverfeelsure，afteranyhalf-holiday，thatIshan’thavetoflogoneofthemnextmorning，forsomefoolish，thoughtlessscrape。Iquitedreadseeingeitherofthem。“
Theywerebothsilentforaminute。PresentlytheDoctorbeganagain:-
“Theydon’tfeelthattheyhaveanydutyorworktodointheschool，andhowisonetomakethemfeelit？“
“Ithinkifeitherofthemhadsomelittleboytotakecareof，itwouldsteadythem。Brownisthemostrecklessofthetwo，I
shouldsay。Eastwouldn’tgetintosomanyscrapeswithouthim。“
“Well，“saidtheDoctor，withsomethinglikeasigh，“I’llthinkofit。“Andtheywentontotalkofothersubjects。
“I[hold]ittruth，withhimwhosings，Tooneclearharpindiverstones，Thatmenmayriseonstepping-stonesOftheirdeadselvestohigherthings。“
“Oncetoeverymanandnationcomesthemomenttodecide，InthestrifeofTruthwithFalsehood，forthegoodorevilside。
Thenitisthebravemanchooses，whilethecowardstandsaside，Doubtinginhisabjectspirit，tillhisLordiscrucified。“
Theturning-pointinourhero’sschoolcareerhadnowcome，andthemannerofitwasasfollows。Ontheeveningofthefirstdayofthenexthalf-year，Tom，East，andanotherSchool-houseboy，whohadjustbeendroppedattheSpreadEaglebytheoldRegulator，rushedintothematron’sroominhighspirits，suchasallrealboysareinwhentheyfirstgetback，howeverfondtheymaybeofhome。
“Well，Mrs。Wixie，“shoutedone，seizingonthemethodical，active，littledark-eyedwoman，whowasbusystowingawaythelinenoftheboyswhohadalreadyarrivedintotheirseveralpigeon-holes，“hereweareagain，yousee，asjollyasever。
Letushelpyouputthethingsaway。“
“And，Mary，“criedanothershewascalledindifferentlybyeithername，“who’scomeback？HastheDoctormadeoldJonesleave？Howmanynewboysarethere？“
“AmIandEasttohaveGray’sstudy？Youknowyoupromisedtogetitforusifyoucould，“shoutedTom。
“AndamItosleepinNumber4？“roaredEast。
“How’soldSam，andBogle，andSally？“
“Blesstheboys！“criesMary，atlastgettinginaword；“why，you’llshakemetodeath。There，now，dogoawayuptothehousekeeper’sroomandgetyoursuppers；youknowIhaven’ttimetotalk。You’llfindplentymoreinthehouse——Now，MasterEast，doletthosethingsalone。You’remixingupthreenewboys’things。“AndsherushedatEast，whoescapedroundtheopentrunksholdingupaprize。
“Hullo！lookhere，Tommy，“shoutedhe；“here’sfun！“andhebrandishedabovehisheadsomeprettylittlenight-caps，beautifullymadeandmarked，theworkoflovingfingersinsomedistantcountryhome。Thekindmotherandsisterswhosewedthatdelicatestitchingwithachingheartslittlethoughtofthetroubletheymightbebringingontheyoungheadforwhichtheyweremeant。Thelittlematronwaswiser，andsnatchedthecapsfromEastbeforehecouldlookatthenameonthem。
“Now，MasterEast，Ishallbeveryangryifyoudon’tgo，“saidshe；“there’ssomecapitalcoldbeefandpicklesupstairs，andI
won’thaveyouoldboysinmyroomfirstnight。“
“Hurrahforthepickles！Comealong，Tommy——comealong，Smith。
Weshallfindoutwhotheyoungcountis，I’llbebound。Ihopehe’llsleepinmyroom。Mary’salwaysviciousfirstweek。“