and，asoldBrookehadprophesied，thehousebydegreesbrokeupintosmallsetsandparties，andlostthestrongfeelingoffellowshipwhichhesetsomuchstoreby，andwithitmuchoftheprowessingamesandtheleadinallschoolmatterswhichhehaddonesomuchtokeepup。
　　Innoplaceintheworldhasindividualcharactermoreweightthanatapublicschool。Rememberthis，Ibeseechyou，allyouboyswhoaregettingintotheupperforms。Nowisthetimeinallyourlives，probably，whenyoumayhavemorewideinfluenceforgoodorevilonthesocietyyouliveinthanyouevercanhaveagain。Quityourselveslikemen，then；speakup，andstrikeoutifnecessary，forwhatsoeveristrue，andmanly，andlovely，andofgoodreport；nevertrytobepopular，butonlytodoyourdutyandhelpotherstodotheirs，andyoumayleavethetoneoffeelingintheschoolhigherthanyoufoundit，andsobedoinggoodwhichnolivingsoulcanmeasuretogenerationsofyourcountrymenyetunborn。Forboysfollowoneanotherinherdslikesheep，forgoodorevil；theyhatethinking，andhaverarelyanysettledprinciples。Everyschool，indeed，hasitsowntraditionarystandardofrightandwrong，whichcannotbetransgressedwithimpunity，markingcertainthingsaslowandblackguard，andcertainothersaslawfulandright。Thisstandardisevervarying，thoughitchangesonlyslowlyandlittlebylittle；and，subjectonlytosuchstandard，itistheleadingboysforthetimebeingwhogivethetonetoalltherest，andmaketheSchooleitheranobleinstitutionforthetrainingofChristianEnglishmen，oraplacewhereayoungboywillgetmoreevilthanhewouldifhewereturnedouttomakehiswayinLondonstreets，oranythingbetweenthesetwoextremes。
　　ThechangefortheworseintheSchool-house，however，didn’tpressveryheavilyonouryoungstersforsometime。Theywereinagoodbedroom，whereslepttheonlyprepostorleftwhowasabletokeepthoroughorder，andtheirstudywasinhispassage。
　　So，thoughtheywerefaggedmoreorless，andoccasionallykickedorcuffedbythebullies，theywere，onthewhole，welloff；andthefresh，braveschool-life，sofullofgames，adventures，andgood-fellowship，soreadyatforgetting，socapaciousatenjoying，sobrightatforecasting，outweighedathousand-foldtheirtroubleswiththemasteroftheirform，andtheoccasionalill-usageofthebigboysinthehouse。Itwasn’ttillsomeyearorsoaftertheeventsrecordedabovethattheprepostoroftheirroomandpassageleft。Noneoftheothersixth-formboyswouldmoveintotheirpassage，and，tothedisgustandindignationofTomandEast，onemorningafterbreakfasttheywereseizeduponbyFlashman，andmadetocarrydownhisbooksandfurnitureintotheunoccupiedstudy，whichhehadtaken。FromthistimetheybegantofeeltheweightofthetyrannyofFlashmanandhisfriends，and，nowthattroublehadcomehometotheirowndoors，begantolookoutforsympathizersandpartnersamongsttherestofthefags；andmeetingsoftheoppressedbegantobeheld，andmurmurstoarise，andplotstobelaidastohowtheyshouldfreethemselvesandbeavengedontheirenemies。
　　Whilematterswereinthisstate，EastandTomwereoneeveningsittingintheirstudy。Theyhaddonetheirworkforfirstlesson，andTomwasinabrownstudy，brooding，likeayoungWilliamTell，uponthewrongsoffagsingeneral，andhisowninparticular。
　　“Isay，Scud，“saidheatlast，rousinghimselftosnuffthecandle，“whatrighthavethefifth-formboystofagusastheydo？“
　　“Nomorerightthanyouhavetofagthem，“answeredEast，withoutlookingupfromanearlynumberof“Pickwick，“whichwasjustcomingout，andwhichhewasluxuriouslydevouring，stretchedonhisbackonthesofa。
　　Tomrelapsedintohisbrownstudy，andEastwentonreadingandchuckling。Thecontrastoftheboys’faceswouldhavegiveninfiniteamusementtoalooker-on——theonesosolemnandbigwithmightypurpose，theotherradiantandbubblingoverwithfun。
　　“Doyouknow，oldfellow，I’vebeenthinkingitoveragooddeal，“beganTomagain。
　　“Ohyes，Iknow——faggingyouarethinkingof。Hangitall！
　　Butlistenhere，Tom——here’sfun。Mr。Winkle’shorse——“
　　“AndI’vemadeupmymind，“brokeinTom，“thatIwon’tfagexceptforthesixth。“
　　“Quiterighttoo，myboy，“criedEast，puttinghisfingerontheplaceandlookingup；“butaprettypeckoftroublesyou’llgetinto，ifyou’regoingtoplaythatgame。However，I’mallforastrikemyself，ifwecangetotherstojoin。It’sgettingtoobad。“
　　“Can’twegetsomesixth-formfellowtotakeitup？“askedTom。
　　“Well，perhapswemight。Morganwouldinterfere，Ithink。
　　Only，“addedEast，afteramoment’spause，“yousee，weshouldhavetotellhimaboutit，andthat’sagainstSchoolprinciples。
　　Don’tyourememberwhatoldBrookesaidaboutlearningtotakeourownparts？“
　　“Ah，IwisholdBrookewerebackagain。Itwasallrightinhistime。“
　　“Why，yes，yousee，thenthestrongestandbestfellowswereinthesixth，andthefifth-formfellowswereafraidofthem，andtheykeptgoodorder；butnowoursixth-formfellowsaretoosmall，andthefifthdon’tcareforthem，anddowhattheylikeinthehouse。“
　　“Andsowegetadoublesetofmasters，“criedTomindignantly——
　　“thelawfulones，whoareresponsibletotheDoctoratanyrate，andtheunlawful，thetyrants，whoareresponsibletonobody。“
　　“Downwiththetyrants！“criedEast；“I’mallforlawandorder，andhurrahforarevolution。“
　　“Ishouldn’tmindifitwereonlyforyoungBrookenow，“saidTom；“he’ssuchagood-hearted，gentlemanlyfellow，andoughttobeinthesixth。I’ddoanythingforhim。ButthatblackguardFlashman，whoneverspeakstoonewithoutakickoranoath——“
　　“Thecowardlybrute，“brokeinEast——“howIhatehim！Andheknowsittoo；heknowsthatyouandIthinkhimacoward。Whataborethathe’sgotastudyinthispassage！Don’tyouhearthemnowatsupperinhisden？Brandy-punchgoing，I’llbet。I
　　wishtheDoctorwouldcomeoutandcatchhim。Wemustchangeourstudyassoonaswecan。“
　　“Changeornochange，I’llneverfagforhimagain，“saidTom，thumpingthetable。
　　“Fa-a-a-ag！“soundedalongthepassagefromFlashman’sstudy。
　　Thetwoboyslookedatoneanotherinsilence。Ithadstrucknine，sotheregularnight-fagshadleftduty，andtheywerethenearesttothesupper-party。Eastsatup，andbegantolookcomical，ashealwaysdidunderdifficulties。
　　“Fa-a-a-ag！“again。Noanswer。
　　“Here，Brown！East！youcursedyoungskulks，“roaredoutFlashman，comingtohisopendoor；“Iknowyou’rein；noshirking。“
　　Tomstoletotheirdoor，anddrewtheboltsasnoiselesslyashecould；Eastblewoutthecandle。
　　“Barricadethefirst，“whisperedhe。“Now，Tom，mind，nosurrender。“
　　“Trustmeforthat，“saidTombetweenhisteeth。
　　Inanotherminutetheyheardthesupper-partyturnoutandcomedownthepassagetotheirdoor。Theyheldtheirbreaths，andheardwhispering，ofwhichtheyonlymadeoutFlashman’swords，“Iknowtheyoungbrutesarein。“
　　Thencamesummonsestoopen，whichbeingunanswered，theassaultcommenced。Luckilythedoorwasagoodstrongoakone，andresistedtheunitedweightofFlashman’sparty。Apausefollowed，andtheyheardabesiegerremark，“They’reinsafeenough。Don’tyouseehowthedoorholdsattopandbottom？Sotheboltsmustbedrawn。Weshouldhaveforcedthelocklongago。“EastgaveTomanudge，tocallattentiontothisscientificremark。
　　Thencameattacksonparticularpanels，oneofwhichatlastgavewaytotherepeatedkicks；butitbrokeinwards，andthebrokenpiecesgotjammedacrossthedoorbeinglinedwithgreenbaize，andcouldn’teasilyberemovedfromoutside:andthebesieged，scorningfurtherconcealment，strengthenedtheirdefencesbypressingtheendoftheirsofaagainstthedoor。
　　So，afteroneortwomoreineffectualefforts，FlashmanandCompanyretired，vowingvengeanceinnomildterms。
　　Thefirstdangerover，itonlyremainedforthebesiegedtoeffectasaferetreat，asitwasnownearbed-time。Theylistenedintently，andheardthesupper-partyresettlethemselves，andthengentlydrewbackfirstoneboltandthentheother。Presentlytheconvivialnoisesbeganagainsteadily。
　　“Nowthen，standbyforarun，“saidEast，throwingthedoorwideopenandrushingintothepassage，closelyfollowedbyTom。
　　Theyweretooquicktobecaught；butFlashmanwasonthelookout，andsentanemptypickle-jarwhizzingafterthem，whichnarrowlymissedTom’shead，andbrokeintotwentypiecesattheendofthepassage。“Hewouldn’tmindkillingone，ifhewasn’tcaught，“saidEast，astheyturnedthecorner。
　　Therewasnopursuit，sothetwoturnedintothehall，wheretheyfoundaknotofsmallboysroundthefire。Theirstorywastold。Thewarofindependencehadbrokenout。Whowouldjointherevolutionaryforces？Severalotherspresentboundthemselvesnottofagforthefifthformatonce。Oneortwoonlyedgedoff，andlefttherebels。Whatelsecouldtheydo？
　　“I’veagoodmindtogototheDoctorstraight，“saidTom。
　　“That’llneverdo。Don’tyourememberthelevyoftheschoollasthalf？“putinanother。
　　Infact，thesolemnassembly，alevyoftheSchool，hadbeenheld，atwhichthecaptainoftheSchoolhadgotup，andafterpremisingthatseveralinstanceshadoccurredofmattershavingbeenreportedtothemasters；thatthiswasagainstpublicmoralityandSchooltradition；thatalevyofthesixthhadbeenheldonthesubject，andtheyhadresolvedthatthepracticemustbestoppedatonce；andgivenoutthatanyboy，inwhateverform，whoshouldthenceforthappealtoamaster，withouthavingfirstgonetosomeprepostorandlaidthecasebeforehim，shouldbethrashedpublicly，andsenttoCoventry。
　　“Well，then，let’strythesixth。TryMorgan，“suggestedanother。“Nouse“——“Blabbingwon’tdo，“wasthegeneralfeeling。
　　“I’llgiveyoufellowsapieceofadvice，“saidavoicefromtheendofthehall。Theyallturnedroundwithastart，andthespeakergotupfromabenchonwhichhehadbeenlyingunobserved，andgavehimselfashake。Hewasabig，loose-madefellow，withhugelimbswhichhadgrowntoofarthroughhisjacketandtrousers。“Don’tyougotoanybodyatall——youjuststandout；sayyouwon’tfag。They’llsoongettiredoflickingyou。I’vetrieditonyearsagowiththeirforerunners。“