who in return for these good offices had to clean out his study every morning by turns, directly after first lesson and before he returned from breakfast. And the pleasure of seeing the great men's studies, and looking at their pictures, and peeping into their books, made Tom a ready substitute for any boy who was too lazy to do his own work. And so he soon gained the character of a good-natured willing fellow who was ready to do a turn for any one.
In all the games too he joined with all his heart, and soon became well versed in all the mysteries of football, by continued practice at the School-house Little-side, which played daily.
The only incident worth recording here, however, was his first run at hare-and-hounds. On the last Tuesday but one of the half-year he was passing through the hall after dinner, when he was hailed with shouts from Tadpole, and several other fags seated at one of the long tables, the chorus of which "Come and help us tear up scent."
Tom approached the table in obedience to the mysterious summons, always ready to help, and found the party engaged in tearing up old newspapers, copybooks and magazines, into small pieces, with which they were filling four large canvas bags.
"It's the turn of our house to find scent for Big-side Hare-and-hounds," exclaimed Tadpole; "tear away, there's no time to lose before calling-over."
"I think it's a great shame," said another small boy, "to have such a hard run for the last day."
"Which run is it?" said Tadpole.
"Oh, the Barby run, I hear," answered the other "nine miles at least, and hard ground; no chance of getting in at the finish, unless you're a first-rate scud."
