Hisdoorwasbarricadedbyasetofingeniousboltsofhisowninvention，forthesiegeswerefrequentbytheneighbourswhenanyunusuallyambrosialodourspreaditselffromthedentotheneighbouringstudies。Thedoorpanelswereinanormalstateofsmash，buttheframeofthedoorresistedallbesiegers，andbehindittheownercarriedonhisvariedpursuits——muchinthesamestateofmind，Ishouldfancy，asaborder-farmerlivedin，inthedaysofthemoss-troopers，whenhisholdmightbesummonedorhiscattlecarriedoffatanyminuteofnightorday。
“Open，Martin，oldboy；it’sonlyI，TomBrown。“
“Oh，verywell；stopamoment。“Oneboltwentback。“You’resureEastisn’tthere？“
“No，no；hangit，open。“Tomgaveakick，theotherboltcreaked，andheenteredtheden。
Denindeeditwas——aboutfivefeetsixincheslongbyfivewide，andsevenfeethigh。Aboutsixtatteredschool-books，andafewchemicalbooks，Taxidermy，StanleyonBirds，andanoddvolumeofBewick，thelatterinmuchbetterpreservation，occupiedthetopshelves。Theothershelves，wheretheyhadnotbeencutawayandusedbytheownerforotherpurposes，werefittedupfortheabiding-placesofbirds，beasts，andreptiles。
Therewasnoattemptatcarpetorcurtain。ThetablewasentirelyoccupiedbythegreatworkofMartin，theelectricmachine，whichwascoveredcarefullywiththeremainsofhistable-cloth。Thejackdawcageoccupiedonewall；andtheotherwasadornedbyasmallhatchet，apairofclimbingirons，andhistincandle-box，inwhichhewasforthetimebeingendeavouringtoraiseahopefulyoungfamilyoffield-mice。Asnothingshouldbelettolieuseless，itwaswellthatthecandle-boxwasthusoccupied，forcandlesMartinneverhad。A
poundwasissuedtohimweekly，astotheotherboys；butascandleswereavailablecapital，andeasilyexchangeableforbirds’eggsoryoungbirds，Martin’spoundinvariablyfounditswayinafewhourstoHowlett’sthebird-fancier’s，intheBiltonroad，whowouldgiveahawk’sornightingale’seggoryounglinnetinexchange。Martin’singenuitywasthereforeforeverontheracktosupplyhimselfwithalight。Justnowhehadhituponagrandinvention，andthedenwaslightedbyaflaringcottonwickissuingfromaginger-beerbottlefullofsomedolefulcomposition。Whenlightaltogetherfailedhim，Martinwouldloafaboutbythefiresinthepassagesorhall，afterthemannerofDiggs，andtrytodohisversesorlearnhislinesbythefirelight。
“Well，oldboy，youhaven’tgotanysweeterinthedenthishalf。Howthatstuffinthebottlestinks！Nevermind；Iain’tgoingtostop；butyoucomeupafterprayerstoourstudy。YouknowyoungArthur。We’vegotGray’sstudy。We’llhaveagoodsupperandtalkaboutbird-nesting。“
Martinwasevidentlyhighlypleasedattheinvitation，andpromisedtobeupwithoutfail。
Assoonasprayerswereover，andthesixthandfifthformboyshadwithdrawntothearistocraticseclusionoftheirownroom，andtherest，ordemocracy，hadsatdowntotheirsupperinthehall，TomandArthur，havingsecuredtheirallowancesofbreadandcheese，startedontheirfeettocatchtheeyeoftheprepostoroftheweek，whoremainedinchargeduringsupper，walkingupanddownthehall。Hehappenedtobeaneasy-goingfellow，sotheygotapleasantnodtotheir“PleasemayIgoout？“andawaytheyscrambledtoprepareforMartinasumptuousbanquet。ThisTomhadinsistedon，forhewasingreatdelightontheoccasion，thereasonofwhichdelightmustbeexpounded。
ThefactwasthatthiswasthefirstattemptatafriendshipofhisownwhichArthurhadmade，andTomhaileditasagrandstep。Theeasewithwhichhehimselfbecamehail-fellow-well-
metwithanybody，andblunderedintoandoutoftwentyfriendshipsahalf-year，madehimsometimessorryandsometimesangryatArthur’sreserveandloneliness。True，Arthurwasalwayspleasant，andevenjolly，withanyboyswhocamewithTomtotheirstudy；butTomfeltthatitwasonlythroughhim，asitwere，thathischumassociatedwithothers，andthatbutforhimArthurwouldhavebeendwellinginawilderness。Thisincreasedhisconsciousnessofresponsibility；andthoughhehadn’treasoneditoutandmadeitcleartohimselfyetsomehowheknewthatthisresponsibility，thistrustwhichhehadtakenonhimwithoutthinkingaboutit，headoverheelsinfact，wasthecentreandturning-pointofhisschool-life，thatwhichwastomakehimormarhim，hisappointedworkandtrialforthetimebeing。AndTomwasbecominganewboy，thoughwithfrequenttumblesinthedirtandperpetualhardbattlewithhimself，andwasdailygrowinginmanfulnessandthoughtfulness，aseveryhigh-couragedandwell-principledboymust，whenhefindshimselfforthefirsttimeconsciouslyatgripswithselfandthedevil。AlreadyhecouldturnalmostwithoutasighfromtheSchool-gates，fromwhichhadjustscamperedoffEastandthreeorfourothersofhisownparticularset，boundforsomejollylarknotquiteaccordingtolaw，andinvolvingprobablyarowwithlouts，keepers，orfarm-labourers，theskippingdinnerorcalling-over，someofPhoebeJennings’sbeer，andaverypossiblefloggingattheendofallasarelish。Hehadquitegotoverthestageinwhichhewouldgrumbletohimself——“Well，hangit，it’sveryhardoftheDoctortohavesaddledmewithArthur。Whycouldn’thehavechummedhimwithFogey，orThomkin，oranyofthefellowswhoneverdoanythingbutwalkroundtheclose，andfinishtheircopiesthefirstdaythey’reset？“Butalthoughallthiswaspast，helonged，andfeltthathewasrightinlonging，formoretimeforthelegitimatepastimesofcricket，fives，bathing，andfishing，withinbounds，inwhichArthurcouldnotyetbehiscompanion；andhefeltthatwhenthe“youngun“ashenowgenerallycalledhimhadfoundapursuitandsomeotherfriendforhimself，heshouldbeabletogivemoretimetotheeducationofhisownbodywithaclearconscience。
Andnowwhathesowishedforhadcometopass；healmosthaileditasaspecialprovidenceasindeeditwas，butnotforthereasonshegaveforit——whatprovidencesare？thatArthurshouldhavesingledoutMartinofallfellowsforafriend。
“TheoldMadmanistheveryfellow，“thoughthe；“hewilltakehimscramblingoverhalfthecountryafterbirds’eggsandflowers，makehimrunandswimandclimblikeanIndian，andnotteachhimawordofanythingbad，orkeephimfromhislessons。
Whatluck！“Andso，withmorethanhisusualheartiness，hedivedintohiscupboard，andhauledoutanoldknuckle-boneofham，andtwoorthreebottlesofbeer，togetherwiththesolemnpewteronlyusedonstateoccasions；whileArthur，equallyelatedattheeasyaccomplishmentofhisfirstactofvolitioninthejointestablishment，producedfromhissideabottleofpicklesandapotofjam，andclearedthetable。Inaminuteortwothenoiseoftheboyscomingupfromsupperwasheard，andMartinknockedandwasadmitted，bearinghisbreadandcheese；
andthethreefelltowithheartygood-willupontheviands，talkingfasterthantheyate，forallshynessdisappearedinamomentbeforeTom’sbottled-beerandhospitableways。“Here’sArthur，aregularyoungtown-mouse，withanaturaltasteforthewoods，Martin，longingtobreakhisneckclimbingtrees，andwithapassionforyoungsnakes。“
“Well，Isay，“sputteredoutMartineagerly，“willyoucometo-
morrow，bothofyou，toCaldecott’sSpinneythen？forIknowofakestrel’snest，upafir-tree。Ican’tgetatitwithouthelp；
and，Brown，youcanclimbagainstanyone。“
“Ohyes，doletusgo，“saidArthur；“Ineversawahawk’snestnorahawk’segg。“
“Youjustcomedowntomystudy，then，andI’llshowyoufivesorts，“saidMartin。
“Ay，theoldMadmanhasgotthebestcollectioninthehouse，outandout，“saidTom；andthenMartin，warmingwithunaccustomedgoodcheerandthechanceofaconvert，launchedoutintoaproposedbird-nestingcampaign，betrayingallmannerofimportantsecrets——agolden-crestedwren’snestnearButlin’sMound，amoor-henwhowassittingonnineeggsinaponddowntheBarbyroad，andakingfisher’snestinacorneroftheoldcanalaboveBrownsoverMill。Hehadheard，hesaid，thatnoonehadevergotakingfisher’snestoutperfect，andthattheBritishMuseum，ortheGovernment，orsomebody，hadoffered100poundstoanyonewhocouldbringthemanestandeggsnotdamaged。Inthemiddleofwhichastoundingannouncement，towhichtheotherswerelisteningwithopenears，andalreadyconsideringtheapplicationofthe100pounds，aknockcametothedoor，andEast’svoicewasheardcravingadmittance。
“There’sHarry，“saidTom；“we’lllethimin。I’llkeephimsteady，Martin。Ithoughttheoldboywouldsmelloutthesupper。“
Thefactwas，thatTom’shearthadalreadysmittenhimfornotaskinghisfidusAchatestothefeast，althoughonlyanextemporeaffair；andthoughprudenceandthedesiretogetMartinandArthurtogetheraloneatfirsthadovercomehisscruples，hewasnowheartilygladtoopenthedoor，broachanotherbottleofbeer，andhandovertheoldham-knuckletothesearchingofhisoldfriend’spocket-knife。
“Ah，yougreedyvagabonds，“saidEast，withhismouthfull，“I
knewtherewassomethinggoingonwhenIsawyoucutoffoutofhallsoquickwithyoursuppers。Whatastunningtap，Tom！Youareawunnerforbottlingtheswipes。“
“I’vehadpracticeenoughforthesixthinmytime，andit’shardifIhaven’tpickedupawrinkleortwoformyownbenefit。“
“Well，oldMadman，andhowgoesthebird-nestingcampaign？
How’sHowlett？Iexpecttheyoungrooks’llbeoutinanotherfortnight，andthenmyturncomes。“
“There’llbenoyoungrooksfitforpiesforamonthyet；showshowmuchyouknowaboutit，“rejoinedMartin，who，thoughverygoodfriendswithEast，regardedhimwithconsiderablesuspicionforhispropensitytopracticaljokes。
“Scudknowsnothingandcaresfornothingbutgrubandmischief，“saidTom；“butyoungrookpie，speciallywhenyou’vehadtoclimbforthem，isveryprettyeating——However，Isay，Scud，we’reallgoingafterahawk’snestto-morrow，inCaldecott’sSpinney；andifyou’llcomeandbehaveyourself，we’llhaveastunningclimb。“
“AndabatheinAganippe。Hooray！I’myourman。“
“No，no；nobathinginAganippe；that’swhereourbettersgo。“
“Well，well，nevermind。I’mforthehawk’snest，andanythingthatturnsup。“
Andthebottled-beerbeingfinished，andhishungerappeased，Eastdepartedtohisstudy，“thatsneakJones，“asheinformedthem，whohadjustgotintothesixth，andoccupiedthenextstudy，havinginstitutedanightlyvisitationuponEastandhischum，totheirnosmalldiscomfort。