SCHOOL DAYS
merrily on the hob of the snuggery, for, notwithstanding the time of year, they lighted a fire, throwing both the windows wide open at the same time. The heap of books and papers was pushed away to the other end of the table, and the great, solitary engraving of King's College Chapel over the mantelpiece looked less stiff than usual as they settled themselves down in the twilight to the serious drinking of tea.
After some talk on the match, and other indifferent subjects, the conversation came naturally back to Tom's approaching departure, over which he began again to make his moan.
"Well, we shall all miss you quite as much as you will miss us," said the master. "You are the Nestor of the school now, are you not?"
"Yes, ever since East left," answered Tom.
"By-the-bye, have you heard from him?"
"Yes, I had a letter in February, just before he started for India to join his regiment."
"He will make a capital officer."
"Ay, won't he!" said Tom, brightening; "no fellow could handle boys better, and I suppose soldiers are very like boys. And he'll never tell them to go where he won't go himself. No mistake about that—a braver fellow never walked."
"His year in the sixth will have taught him a good deal that will be useful to him now."
"So it will," said Tom, staring into the fire. "Poor, dear Harry," he went on, "how well I remember the day we were put out of the twenty. How he rose to the situation, and burned his cigar-cases, and gave away his pistols, and pondered on the constitutional authority of the sixth, and his new duties to the Doctor, and the fifth form, and the fags. Ay, and no fellow ever acted up to them better, though he was always a people's man—for the fags, and against constituted authorities. He couldn't help that, you know. I'm sure the Doctor must have liked him?" said Tom, looking up inquiringly.
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