ugby, England, in 1567.

9. Sixth-form boy. The school was graded into six classes or "forms," and
the boys of the highest, or sixth, form were expected to keep the smaller
boys under them in order. EXERCISES.--What were Arthur's feelings the
first night at Rugby? Relate what happened when he said his prayers. What
do you think of the boy who threw the slipper? Was Tom right in defending
Arthur from insult?

LXVIII. DARE TO DO RIGHT. (Concluded.) (186)

1. It was no light act of courage in those days for a little fellow to say
his prayers publicly, even at Rugby. A few years later, when Arnold's
manly piety had begun to leaven the school, the tables turned: before he
died, in the Schoolhouse at least, and I believe in the other houses, the
rule was the other way.

2. But poor Tom had come to school in other times. The first few nights
after he came he did not kneel down because of the noise, but sat up in
bed till the candle was out, and then stole out and said his prayers, in
fear lest some one should find him out. So did many another poor little
fellow.

3. Then he began to think that he might just as well say his prayers in
bed, and then that it did not matter whether he was kneeling, or sitting,
or lying down. And so it had come to pass with Tom, as with all who will
not confess their Lord before men; and for the last year he had probably
not said his prayers in earnest a dozen times.

4. Poor Tom! the first and bitterest feeling, which was like to break his
heart, was the sense of his own cowardice. The vice of all others which he
loathed was brought in and burned in on his own soul. He had lied to his
mother, to his conscience, to his God. How could he bear it? And then the
poor, little, weak boy, whom he had pitied and almost scorned for his
weakness, had done that which he, braggart as he was, dared not do.

5. The first dawn of comfort came to him in vowing to himself that he
would stand by that boy through thick and thin, and cheer him, and help
him, and bear his burdens, for the good deed done that night. Then he
resolved to write home next day and tell his mother all, and what a coward
her son had been. And then peace came to him as he resolved, lastly, to
bear his testimony next morning.

6. The morning would be harder than the night to begin with, but he felt
that he could not afford to let one chance slip. Several times he
faltered, for the Devil showed him, first, all his old friends calling