two at the table; and a good stout wooden chair afforded a
seat to another boy, so that three could sit and work together. The
walls were wainscoted half-way up, the wainscot being covered with
green baize, the remainder with a bright-patterned paper, on which
hung three or four prints, of dog's heads, Grimaldi[16] winning the
Aylesbury steeple-chase,[17] Amy Robsart,[18] the reigning Waverley
beauty of the day, and Tom Crib[19] in a posture of defence, which did
no credit to the science[20] of that hero, if truly represented. Over
the door was a row of hat-pegs, and on each side book-cases with
cupboards at the bottom; shelves and cupboards being filled
indiscriminately with school-books, a cup or two, a mouse-trap, and
candlesticks, leather straps, a fustian bag, and some curious-looking
articles which puzzled Tom not a little, until his friend explained
that they were climbing irons, and showed their use. A cricket-bat and
small fishing-rod stood up in one corner.

[16] #Grimaldi#: the name of a race-horse.

[17] #Steeple-chase#: a race between horsemen across country
to see which can first reach a certain distant object, as a
church steeple.

[18] #Amy Robsart#: the heroine of Scott's Waverley novel,
"Kenilworth."

[19] #Tom Crib#: a noted pugilist.

[20] #Science#: boxing or pugilistic science.

"OUR OWN" AND THE USE THEREOF.

This was the residence of East and another boy in the same form, and
had more interest for Tom than Windsor Castle,[21] or any other
residence in the British Isles. For was he not about to become the
joint owner of a similar home, the first place he could call his own?
One's own,--what a charm there is in the words! How long it takes boy
and man to find out their worth! how fast most of us hold on to them!
faster and more jealously, the nearer we are to that general home,
into which we can take nothing, but must go naked as we came into the
world. When shall we learn that he who multiplieth possessions
multiplieth troubles, and that the one single use of things which we
call our own is that they may be his who hath need of them?

[21] #Windsor Castle#: the principal residence of the English
monarchs. It is on the Thames, about twenty miles west of
London.

"And shall I have a study like this, too?" said Tom.

"Yes, of course, you'll be chummed with some fellow on Monday, and you
can sit here till then."

"What nice places!"

"The