, like
young bears with all their trouble to come, as Tom's father had said
to him when he was in the same position. He thought of it as he looked
at the line, and poor little slight Arthur standing with them, and as
he was leading him up-stairs to Number 4, directly after prayers, and
showing him his bed. It was a huge, high, airy room, with two large
windows looking on to the School close. There were twelve beds in the
room; the one in the furthest corner by the fire-place occupied by the
sixth-form boy who was responsible for the discipline of the room, and
the rest by boys in the lower fifth and other junior forms, all fags
(for the fifth-form boys, as has been said, slept in rooms by
themselves). Being fags, the eldest of them was not more than about
sixteen years old, and were all bound to be up and in bed by ten; the
sixth-form boys came to bed from ten to a quarter-past (at which time
the old verger came round to put the candles out), except when they
sat up to read.

LESSON NO. 1.

Within a few minutes, therefore, of their entry, all the other boys
who slept in Number 4 had come up. The little fellows went quietly to
their own beds, and began undressing and talking to each other in
whispers; while the elder, amongst whom was Tom, sat chatting about on
one another's beds, with their jackets and waistcoats off. Poor little
Arthur was overwhelmed with the novelty of his position. The idea of
sleeping in the room with strange boys had clearly never crossed his
mind before, and was as painful as it was strange to him. He could
hardly bear to take his jacket off; however, presently, with an
effort, off it came, and then he paused and looked at Tom, who was
sitting at the bottom of his bed talking and laughing.

"Please, Brown," he whispered, "may I wash my face and hands?"

"Of course, if you like," said Tom, staring; "that's your
washhand-stand under the window, second from your bed. You'll have to
go down for more water in the morning if you use it all." And on he
went with his talk, while Arthur stole timidly from between the beds
out to his washhand-stand, and began his ablutions, thereby drawing
for a moment on himself the attention of the room.

On went the talk and laughter. Arthur finished his washing and
undressing, and put on his night-gown. He then looked round more
nervously than ever. Two or three of the little boys were already in
bed, sitting up with their chins on their knees. The light burned