y
indicating that the mile had been done in four seconds under the five
minutes. They passed several more parties of boys, all of them objects
of the deepest interest to Tom, and came in sight of the town at ten
minutes before twelve. Tom fetched a long breath, and thought he had
never spent a pleasanter day. Before he went to bed he had quite
settled that it must be the greatest day he should ever spend, and
didn't alter his opinion for many a long year,--if he has yet.

CHAPTER V.

RUGBY AND FOOT-BALL.

"--Foot and eye opposed
In dubious strife."--_Scott._

ARRIVAL AT RUGBY.

"And so here's Rugby, sir, at last, and you'll be in plenty of time
for dinner at the School-house, as I tell'd you," said the old guard,
pulling his horn out of its case, and tootle-tooing away; while the
coachman shook up his horses, and carried them along the side of the
school-close, round Dead-man's corner, past the school-gates, and down
the High Street to the Spread Eagle; the wheelers in a spanking trot,
and leaders cantering, in a style which would not have disgraced
"Cherry Bob," "ramping, stamping, tearing, swearing Billy Harwood," or
any other of the old coaching heroes.

Tom's heart beat quick as he passed the great schoolfield or close,
with its noble elms, in which several games at foot-ball were going
on, and tried to take in at once the long line of gray buildings,
beginning with the chapel, and ending with the School-house, the
residence of the head-master, where the great flag was lazily waving
from the highest round tower. And he began already to be proud of
being a Rugby boy, as he passed the school-gates with the oriel
window[1] above, and saw the boys standing there, looking as if the
town belonged to them, and nodding in a familiar manner to the
coachman, as if any one of them would be quite equal to getting on the
box and working the team down the street as well as he.

[1] #Oriel window#: a bay-window. The great window over the
arch is a striking feature of the Rugby gateway.

TOM FINDS A PATRON.

One of the young heroes, however, ran out from the rest, and scrambled
up behind; where, having righted himself, and nodded to the guard,
with "How do, Jem?" he turned short round to Tom, and, after looking
him over for a minute, began:

"I say, you fellow, is your name Brown?"

"Yes," said Tom, in considerable astonishment; glad, however, to have
lighted on some one already who see