“Well，I’mnotquitesurethatheoughttobeinforhisplay，“
saidTom，“butIcouldn’thelpputtinghimin。Itwilldohimsomuchgood，andyoucan’tthinkwhatIowehim。“
Themastersmiled。Theclockstrikeseight，andthewholefieldbecomesfeveredwithexcitement。Arthur，aftertwonarrowescapes，scoresone，andJohnsongetstheball。Thebowlingandfieldingaresuperb，andJohnson’sbattingworthytheoccasion。
Hemakeshereatwo，andthereaone，managingtokeeptheballtohimself，andArthurbacksupandrunsperfectly。Onlyelevenrunstomakenow，andthecrowdscarcelybreathe。AtlastArthurgetstheballagain，andactuallydrivesitforwardfortwo，andfeelsprouderthanwhenhegotthethreebestprizes，athearingTom’sshoutofjoy，“Wellplayed，wellplayed，youngun！“
Butthenextballistoomuchfortheyounghand，andhisbailsflydifferentways。Ninerunstomake，andtwowicketstogodown:itistoomuchforhumannerves。
BeforeWintercangetin，theomnibuswhichistotaketheLord’smentothetrainpullsupatthesideoftheclose，andMr。AislabieandTomconsult，andgiveoutthatthestumpswillbedrawnafterthenextover。Andsoendsthegreatmatch。
WinterandJohnsoncarryouttheirbats，and，itbeingaoneday’smatch，theLord’smenaredeclaredthewinners，theyhavingscoredthemostinthefirstinnings。
Butsuchadefeatisavictory:sothinkTomandalltheSchooleleven，astheyaccompanytheirconquerorstotheomnibus，andsendthemoffwiththreeringingcheers，afterMr。Aislabiehasshakenhandsallround，sayingtoTom，“Imustcomplimentyou，sir，onyoureleven，andIhopeweshallhaveyouforamemberifyoucomeuptotown。“
AsTomandtherestoftheelevenwereturningbackintotheclose，andeverybodywasbeginningtocryoutforanothercountry-dance，encouragedbythesuccessofthenightbefore，theyoungmaster，whowasjustleavingtheclose，stoppedhim，andaskedhimtocomeuptoteaathalf-pasteight，adding，“I
won’tkeepyoumorethanhalfanhour，andaskArthurtocomeuptoo。“
“I’llcomeupwithyoudirectly，ifyou’llletme，“saidTom，“forIfeelrathermelancholy，andnotquiteuptothecountry-
danceandsupperwiththerest。“
“Do，byallmeans，“saidthemaster；“I’llwaithereforyou。“
SoTomwentofftogethisbootsandthingsfromthetent，totellArthuroftheinvitation，andtospeaktohissecondincommandaboutstoppingthedancingandshuttingupthecloseassoonasitgrewdusk。Arthurpromisedtofollowassoonashehadhadadance。SoTomhandedhisthingsovertothemaninchargeofthetent，andwalkedquietlyawaytothegatewherethemasterwaswaiting，andthetwotooktheirwaytogetheruptheHillmortonroad。
Ofcoursetheyfoundthemaster’shouselockedup，andalltheservantsawayintheclose——aboutthistime，nodoubt，footingitawayonthegrass，withextremedelighttothemselves，andinutteroblivionoftheunfortunatebachelortheirmaster，whoseoneenjoymentintheshapeofmealswashis“dishoftea“asourgrandmotherscalleditintheevening；andthephrasewasaptinhiscase，forhealwayspouredhisoutintothesaucerbeforedrinking。Greatwasthegoodman’shorroratfindinghimselfshutoutofhisownhouse。Hadhebeenalonehewouldhavetreateditasamatterofcourse，andwouldhavestrolledcontentedlyupanddownhisgravelwalkuntilsomeonecamehome；buthewashurtatthestainonhischaracterofhost，especiallyastheguestwasapupil。However，theguestseemedtothinkitagreatjoke，andpresently，astheypokedaboutroundthehouse，mountedawall，fromwhichhecouldreachapassagewindow。Thewindow，asitturnedout，wasnotbolted，soinanotherminuteTomwasinthehouseanddownatthefrontdoor，whichheopenedfrominside。Themasterchuckledgrimlyatthisburglariousentry，andinsistedonleavingthehall-doorandtwoofthefrontwindowsopen，tofrightenthetruantsontheirreturn；andthenthetwosetaboutforagingfortea，inwhichoperationthemasterwasmuchatfault，havingthefaintestpossibleideaofwheretofindanything，andbeing，moreover，wondrouslyshort-sighted；butTom，byasortofinstinct，knewtherightcupboardsinthekitchenandpantry，andsoonmanagedtoplaceonthesnuggerytablebettermaterialsforamealthanhadappearedthereprobablyduringthereignofhistutor，whowasthenandthereinitiated，amongstotherthings，intotheexcellenceofthatmysteriouscondiment，adripping-cake。Thecakewasnewlybaked，andallrichandflaky；Tomhadfounditreposinginthecook’sprivatecupboard，awaitingherreturn；andasawarningtohertheyfinishedittothelastcrumb。Thekettlesangawaymerrilyonthehobofthesnuggery，for，notwithstandingthetimeofyear，theylightedafire，throwingboththewindowswideopenatthesametime；theheapsofbooksandpaperswerepushedawaytotheotherendofthetable，andthegreatsolitaryengravingofKing’sCollegeChapeloverthemantelpiecelookedlessstiffthanusual，astheysettledthemselvesdowninthetwilighttotheseriousdrinkingoftea。
Aftersometalkonthematch，andotherindifferentsubjects，theconversationcamenaturallybacktoTom’sapproachingdeparture，overwhichhebeganagaintomakehismoan。
“Well，weshallallmissyouquiteasmuchasyouwillmissus，“
saidthemaster。“YouaretheNestoroftheSchoolnow，areyounot？“
“Yes，eversinceEastleft，“answeredTom。“By-the-bye，haveyouheardfromhim？“
“Yes，IhadaletterinFebruary，justbeforehestartedforIndiatojoinhisregiment。“
“Hewillmakeacapitalofficer。“
“Ay，won’the！“saidTom，brightening。“Nofellowcouldhandleboysbetter，andIsupposesoldiersareverylikeboys。Andhe’llnevertellthemtogowherehewon’tgohimself。Nomistakeaboutthat。Abraverfellowneverwalked。“
“Hisyearinthesixthwillhavetaughthimagooddealthatwillbeusefultohimnow。“
“Soitwill，“’saidTom，staringintothefire。“PoordearHarry，“hewenton——“howwellIrememberthedaywewereputoutofthetwenty！Howherosetothesituation，andburnthiscigar-cases，andgaveawayhispistols，andponderedontheconstitutionalauthorityofthesixth，andhisnewdutiestotheDoctor，andthefifthform，andthefags！Ay，andnofelloweveracteduptothembetter，thoughhewasalwaysapeople’sman——forthefags，andagainstconstitutedauthorities。Hecouldn’thelpthat，youknow。I’msuretheDoctormusthavelikedhim？“saidTom，lookingupinquiringly。
“TheDoctorseesthegoodineveryone，andappreciatesit，“
saidthemasterdogmatically；“butIhopeEastwillgetagoodcolonel。Hewon’tdoifhecan’trespectthoseabovehim。Howlongittookhim，evenhere，tolearnthelessonofobeying！“
“Well，IwishIwerealongsideofhim，“saidTom。“IfIcan’tbeatRugby，Iwanttobeatworkintheworld，andnotdawdlingawaythreeyearsatOxford。“
“Whatdoyoumeanby’atworkintheworld’？“saidthemaster，pausingwithhislipsclosetohissaucerfuloftea，andpeeringatTomoverit。
“Well，Imeanrealwork——one’sprofession——whateveronewillhavereallytodoandmakeone’slivingby。Iwanttobedoingsomerealgood，feelingthatIamnotonlyatplayintheworld，“answeredTom，ratherpuzzledtofindouthimselfwhathereallydidmean。
“Youaremixinguptwoverydifferentthingsinyourhead，I
think，Brown，“saidthemaster，puttingdowntheemptysaucer，“andyououghttogetclearaboutthem。Youtalkof’workingtogetyourliving，’and’doingsomerealgoodintheworld，’inthesamebreath。Now，youmaybegettingaverygoodlivinginaprofession，andyetdoingnogoodatallintheworld，butquitethecontrary，atthesametime。Keepthelatterbeforeyouasyouroneobject，andyouwillberight，whetheryoumakealivingornot；butifyoudwellontheother，you’llverylikelydropintomeremoney-making，andlettheworldtakecareofitselfforgoodorevil。Don’tbeinahurryaboutfindingyourworkintheworldforyourself——youarenotoldenoughtojudgeforyourselfyet；butjustlookaboutyouintheplaceyoufindyourselfin，andtrytomakethingsalittlebetterandhonesterthere。You’llfindplentytokeepyourhandinatOxford，orwhereverelseyougo。Anddon’tbeledawaytothinkthispartoftheworldimportantandthatunimportant。Everycorneroftheworldisimportant。Nomanknowswhetherthispartorthatismostso，buteverymanmaydosomehonestworkinhisowncorner。“AndthenthegoodmanwentontotalkwiselytoTomofthesortofworkwhichhemighttakeupasanundergraduate，andwarnedhimoftheprevalentuniversitysins，andexplainedtohimthemanyandgreatdifferencesbetweenuniversityandschoollife，tillthetwilightchangedintodarkness，andtheyheardthetruantservantsstealinginbythebackentrance。
“IwonderwhereArthurcanbe，“saidTomatlast，lookingathiswatch；“why，it’snearlyhalf-pastninealready。“
“Oh，heiscomfortablyatsupperwiththeeleven，forgetfulofhisoldestfriends，“saidthemaster。“Nothinghasgivenmegreaterpleasure，“hewenton，“thanyourfriendshipforhim；ithasbeenthemakingofyouboth。“
“Ofme，atanyrate，“answeredTom；“Ishouldneverhavebeenherenowbutforhim。ItwastheluckiestchanceintheworldthatsenthimtoRugbyandmadehimmychum。“
“Whydoyoutalkofluckychances？“saidthemaster。“Idon’tknowthatthereareanysuchthingsintheworld；atanyrate，therewasneitherlucknorchanceinthatmatter。“
Tomlookedathiminquiringly，andhewenton。“DoyourememberwhentheDoctorlecturedyouandEastattheendofonehalf-
year，whenyouwereintheshell，andhadbeengettingintoallsortsofscrapes？“
“Yes，wellenough，“saidTom；“itwasthehalf-yearbeforeArthurcame。“
“Exactlyso，“answeredthemaster。“Now，Iwaswithhimafewminutesafterwards，andhewasingreatdistressaboutyoutwo。