a plucky youngster, and will make a player," says Brooke.

And five o'clock strikes. "No side" is called, and the first day of the
School-house match is over.

CHAPTER VI.

AFTER THE MATCH.

"----Some food we had."--_Shakspere._

[Greek: es potos hadys.]--THEOCR. _Id._

AS the boys scattered away from the ground, and East leaning on Tom's
arm, and limping along, was beginning to consider what luxury they
should go and buy for tea to celebrate that glorious victory, the two
Brookes came striding by. Old Brooke caught sight of East, and stopped;
put his hand kindly on his shoulder and said, "Bravo, youngster, you
played famously; not much the matter, I hope?"

"No, nothing at all," said East, "only a little twist from that
charge."

"Well, mind and get all right for next Saturday;" and the leader passed
on, leaving East better for those few words than all the opodeldoc in
England would have made him, and Tom ready to give one of his ears for
as much notice. Ah! light words of those whom we love and honour, what a
power ye are, and how carelessly wielded by those who can use you!
Surely for these things also God will ask an account.

"Tea's directly after locking-up, you see," said East, hobbling along as
fast as he could, "so you come along down to Sally Harrowell's; that's
our school-house tuck-shop--she bakes such stunning murphies, we'll have
a penn'orth each for tea; come along, or they'll all be gone."

Tom's new purse and money burnt in his pocket; he wondered, as they
toddled through the quadrangle and along the street, whether East would
be insulted if he suggested further extravagance, as he had not
sufficient faith in a pennyworth of potatoes. At last he blurted out,--

"I say, East, can't we get something else besides potatoes? I've got
lots of money, you know."

"Bless us, yes, I forgot," said East, "you've only just come. You see
all my tin's been gone this twelve weeks, it hardly ever lasts beyond
the first fortnight; and our allowances were all stopped this morning
for broken windows, so I haven't got a penny. I've got a tick at
Sally's, of course; but then I hate running it high, you see, towards
the end of the half, 'cause one has to shell out for it all directly one
comes back, and that's a bore."

Tom didn't understand much of this talk, but seized on the fact that
East had no money, and was denying himself some little pet luxury in
consequence. "Well, what s