“Sneakinglittlebrute，“mutteredhe，regardlessofprudence——
　　“clappingonthewater-worksjustinthehardestplace；seeifI
　　don’tpunchhisheadafterfourthlesson。“
　　“Whose？“saidTom，towhomtheremarkseemedtobeaddressed。
　　“Why，thatlittlesneak，Arthur’s，“repliedWilliams。
　　“No，youshan’t，“saidTom。
　　“Hullo！“exclaimedWilliams，lookingatTomwithgreatsurpriseforamoment，andthengivinghimasuddendigintheribswithhiselbow，whichsentTom’sbooksflyingontothefloor，andcalledtheattentionofthemaster，whoturnedsuddenlyround，andseeingthestateofthings，said，-
　　“Williams，godownthreeplaces，andthengoon。“
　　TheSloggerfoundhislegsveryslowly，andproceededtogobelowTomandtwootherboyswithgreatdisgust；andthen，turningroundandfacingthemaster，said，“Ihaven’tlearntanymore，sir；ourlessonisonlyfortylines。“
　　“Isthatso？“saidthemaster，appealinggenerallytothetopbench。Noanswer。
　　“Whoistheheadboyoftheform？“saidhe，waxingwroth。
　　“Arthur，sir，“answeredthreeorfourboys，indicatingourfriend。
　　“Oh，yourname’sArthur。Well，now，whatisthelengthofyourregularlesson？“
　　Arthurhesitatedamoment，andthensaid，“Wecallitonlyfortylines，sir。“
　　“Howdoyoumean——youcallit？“
　　“Well，sir，Mr。Grahamsaysweain’ttostoptherewhenthere’stimetoconstruemore。“
　　“Iunderstand，“saidthemaster——“Williams，godownthreemoreplaces，andwritemeoutthelessoninGreekandEnglish。
　　Andnow，Arthur，finishconstruing。“
　　“Oh！wouldIbeinArthur’sshoesafterfourthlesson？“saidthelittleboystooneanother；butArthurfinishedHelen’sspeechwithoutanyfurthercatastrophe，andtheclockstruckfour，whichendedthirdlesson。
　　Anotherhourwasoccupiedinpreparingandsayingfourthlesson，duringwhichWilliamswasbottlinguphiswrath；andwhenfivestruck，andthelessonsforthedaywereover，hepreparedtotakesummaryvengeanceontheinnocentcauseofhismisfortune。
　　Tomwasdetainedinschoolafewminutesaftertherest，andoncomingoutintothequadrangle，thefirstthinghesawwasasmallringofboys，applaudingWilliams，whowasholdingArthurbythecollar。
　　“There，youyoungsneak，“saidhe，givingArthuracuffontheheadwithhisotherhand；“whatmadeyousaythat——“
　　“Hullo！“saidTom，shoulderingintothecrowd；“youdropthat，Williams；youshan’ttouchhim。“
　　“Who’llstopme？“saidtheSlogger，raisinghishandagain。
　　“I，“saidTom；andsuitingtheactiontothewordhestruckthearmwhichheldArthur’sarmsosharplythattheSloggerdroppeditwithastart，andturnedthefullcurrentofhiswrathonTom。
　　“Willyoufight？“
　　“Yes，ofcourse。“
　　“Huzza！There’sgoingtobeafightbetweenSloggerWilliamsandTomBrown！“
　　Thenewsranlikewildfireabout，andmanyboyswhowereontheirwaytoteaattheirseveralhousesturnedback，andsoughtthebackofthechapel，wherethefightscomeoff。
　　“JustrunandtellEasttocomeandbackme，“saidTomtoasmallSchool-houseboy，whowasofflikearockettoHarrowell’s，juststoppingforamomenttopokehisheadintotheSchool-househall，wherethelowerboyswerealreadyattea，andsingout，“Fight！TomBrownandSloggerWilliams。“
　　Upstarthalftheboysatonce，leavingbread，eggs，butter，sprats，andalltheresttotakecareofthemselves。Thegreaterpartoftheremainderfollowinaminute，afterswallowingtheirtea，carryingtheirfoodintheirhandstoconsumeastheygo。Threeorfouronlyremain，whostealthebutterofthemoreimpetuous，andmaketothemselvesanunctuousfeast。
　　InanotherminuteEastandMartintearthroughthequadrangle，carryingasponge，andarriveatthesceneofactionjustasthecombatantsarebeginningtostrip。
　　Tomfelthehadgothisworkcutoutforhim，ashestrippedoffhisjacket，waistcoat，andbraces。Easttiedhishandkerchiefroundhiswaist，androlleduphisshirtsleevesforhim。“Now，oldboy，don’tyouopenyourmouthtosayaword，ortrytohelpyourselfabit——we’lldoallthat；youkeepallyourbreathandstrengthfortheSlogger。“Martinmeanwhilefoldedtheclothes，andputthemunderthechapelrails；andnowTom，withEasttohandlehim，andMartintogivehimaknee，stepsoutontheturf，andisreadyforallthatmaycome；andhereistheSloggertoo，allstripped，andthirstingforthefray。
　　Itdoesn’tlookafairmatchatfirstglance:Williamsisnearlytwoinchestaller，andprobablyalongyearolderthanhisopponent，andheisverystronglymadeaboutthearmsandshoulders——“peelswell，“asthelittleknotofbigfifth-formboys，theamateurs，say，whostandoutsidetheringoflittleboys，lookingcomplacentlyon，buttakingnoactivepartintheproceedings。Butdownbelowheisnotsogoodbyanymeans——nospringfromtheloins，andfeeblish，nottosayshipwrecky，abouttheknees。Tom，onthecontrary，thoughnothalfsostronginthearms，isgoodallover，straight，hard，andspringy，fromnecktoankle，betterperhapsinhislegsthananywhere。Besides，youcanseebytheclearwhiteofhiseye，andfresh，brightlookofhisskin，thatheisintip-toptraining，abletodoallheknows；whiletheSloggerlooksrathersodden，asifhedidn’ttakemuchexerciseandatetoomuchtuck。Thetime-keeperischosen，alargeringmade，andthetwostandupoppositeoneanotherforamoment，givingustimejusttomakeourlittleobservations。
　　“IfTom’llonlycondescendtofightwithhisheadandheels，“asEastmutterstoMartin，“weshalldo。“
　　Butseeminglyhewon’t，fortherehegoesin，makingplaywithbothhands。Hardallistheword；thetwostandtooneanotherlikemen；rallyfollowsrallyinquicksuccession，eachfightingasifhethoughttofinishthewholethingoutofhand。“Can’tlastatthisrate，“saytheknowingones，whilethepartisansofeachmaketheairringwiththeirshoutsandcounter-shoutsofencouragement，approval，anddefiance。
　　“Takeiteasy，takeiteasy；keepaway；lethimcomeafteryou，“
　　imploresEast，ashewipesTom’sfaceafterthefirstroundwithawetsponge，whilehesitsbackonMartin’sknee，supportedbytheMadman’slongarmswhichtremblealittlefromexcitement。
　　“Time’sup，“callsthetime-keeper。
　　“Therehegoesagain，hangitall！“growlsEast，ashismanisatitagain，ashardasever。Averysevereroundfollows，inwhichTomgetsoutandouttheworstofit，andisatlasthitcleanoffhislegs，anddepositedonthegrassbyaright-handerfromtheSlogger。
　　LoudshoutsrisefromtheboysofSlogger’shouse，andtheSchool-housearesilentandvicious，readytopickquarrelsanywhere。
　　“Twotooneinhalf-crownsonthebigun，“saysRattle，oneoftheamateurs，atallfellow，inthunder-and-lightningwaistcoat，andpuffy，good-naturedface。
　　“Done！“saysGroove，anotheramateurofquieterlook，takingouthisnotebooktoenterit，forourfriendRattlesometimesforgetstheselittlethings。
　　MeantimeEastisfresheningupTomwiththespongesfornextround，andhassettwootherboystorubhishands。
　　“Tom，oldboy，“whispershe，“thismaybefunforyou，butit’sdeathtome。He’llhitallthefightoutofyouinanotherfiveminutes，andthenIshallgoanddrownmyselfintheislandditch。Feinthim；useyourlegs；drawhimabout。He’lllosehiswindtheninnotime，andyoucangointohim。Hitathisbodytoo；we’lltakecareofhisfrontispieceby-and-by。“
　　Tomfeltthewisdomofthecounsel，andsawalreadythathecouldn’tgoinandfinishtheSloggeroffatmerehammerandtongs，sochangedhistacticscompletelyinthethirdround。Henowfightscautiously，gettingawayfromandparryingtheSlogger’slunginghits，insteadoftryingtocounter，andleadinghisenemyadanceallroundtheringafterhim。“He’sfunking；goin，Williams，““Catchhimup，““Finishhimoff，“
　　screamthesmallboysoftheSloggerparty。
　　“Justwhatwewant，“thinksEast，chucklingtohimself，asheseesWilliams，excitedbytheseshouts，andthinkingthegameinhisownhands，blowinghimselfinhisexertionstogettoclosequartersagain，whileTomiskeepingawaywithperfectease。
　　Theyquarteroverthegroundagainandagain，Tomalwaysonthedefensive。
　　TheSloggerpullsupatlastforamoment，fairlyblown。
　　“Now，then，Tom，“singsoutEast，dancingwithdelight。Tomgoesininatwinkling，andhitstwoheavybodyblows，andgetsawayagainbeforetheSloggercancatchhiswind，whichwhenhedoesherusheswithblindfuryatTom，andbeingskilfullyparriedandavoided，overreacheshimselfandfallsonhisface，amidstterrificcheersfromtheSchool-houseboys。
　　“Doubleyourtwotoone？“saysGroovetoRattle，notebookinhand。
　　“Stopabit，“saysthathero，lookinguncomfortablyatWilliams，whoispuffingawayonhissecond’sknee，windedenough，butlittletheworseinanyotherway。
　　AfteranotherroundtheSloggertooseemstoseethathecan’tgoinandwinrightoff，andhasmethismatchorthereabouts。
　　Sohetoobeginstousehishead，andtriestomakeTomlosehispatience，andcomeinbeforehistime。Andsothefightswayson，nowoneandnowtheothergettingatriflingpull。