and try to stop them; then thinking of running in and
telling his friend Mary, who he knew would instantly report to the
Doctor. The stories he had heard of men being killed in prize fights
rose up horribly before him.

Once only, when the shouts of "Well done, Brown!" "Huzzah for the
School-house!" rose higher than ever, he ventured up to the ring,
thinking the victory was won. Catching sight of Tom's face in the
state I have described, all fear of consequences vanishing out of his
mind, he rushed straight off to the matron's room, beseeching her to
get the fight stopped, or he should die.

THE RING BROKEN.

But it's time for us to get back to the close. What is this fierce
tumult and confusion? The ring is broken, and high and angry words are
being bandied about; "It's all fair"--"It isn't"--"No hugging;" the
fight is stopped. The combatants, however, sit there quietly, tended
by their seconds, while their adherents wrangle in the middle. East
can't help shouting challenges to two or three of the other side,
though he never leaves Tom for a moment, and plies the sponges as fast
as ever.

The fact is, that at the end of the last round, Tom, seeing a good
opening, had closed with his opponent, and after a moment's struggle,
had thrown him heavily, by the help of the fall he had learned from
his village rival in the Vale of White Horse. Williams hadn't the
ghost of a chance with Tom at wrestling, and the conviction broke at
once on the Slogger faction that if this were allowed, their man must
be licked. There was a strong feeling in the School against catching
hold and throwing, though it was generally ruled all fair within
certain limits; so the ring was broken, and the fight stopped.

The School-house are overruled--the fight is on again, but there is to
be no throwing; and East, in high wrath, threatens to take his man
away after next round (which he doesn't mean to do, by the way), when
suddenly young Brooke comes through the small gate at the end of the
chapel. The School-house faction rush to him. "Oh, hurrah! now we
shall get fair play."

"Please, Brooke come up; they won't let Tom Brown throw him."

"Throw whom?" says Brooke, coming up to the ring. "Oh, Williams! I
see. Nonsense! of course he may throw him, if he catches him fairly
above the waist."

Now, young Brooke, you're in the sixth you know, and you ought to stop
all fights. He looks hard at both boys. "Anything wrong?" says he to
East, noddi