Astheboysturnedtoleavetheroom，thematrontouchedTom’sarm，andsaid，“MasterBrown，pleasestopaminute；Iwanttospeaktoyou。“
“Verywell，Mary。I’llcomeinaminute，East。Don’tfinishthepickles。“
“OMasterBrown，“wentonthelittlematron，whentheresthadgone，“you’retohaveGray’sstudy，Mrs。Arnoldsays。Andshewantsyoutotakeinthisyounggentleman。He’sanewboy，andthirteenyearsoldthoughhedon’tlookit。He’sverydelicate，andhasneverbeenfromhomebefore。AndItoldMrs。ArnoldI
thoughtyou’dbekindtohim，andseethattheydon’tbullyhimatfirst。He’sputintoyourform，andI’vegivenhimthebednexttoyoursinNumber4；soEastcan’tsleeptherethishalf。“
Tomwasratherputaboutbythisspeech。Hehadgotthedoublestudywhichhecoveted，butherewereconditionsattachedwhichgreatlymoderatedhisjoy。Helookedacrosstheroom，andinthefarcornerofthesofawasawareofaslight，paleboy，withlargeblueeyesandlightfairhair，whoseemedreadytoshrinkthroughthefloor。Hesawataglancethatthelittlestrangerwasjusttheboywhosefirsthalf-yearatapublicschoolwouldbemiserytohimselfifhewereleftalone，orconstantanxietytoanyonewhomeanttoseehimthroughhistroubles。Tomwastoohonesttotakeintheyoungster，andthenlethimshiftforhimself；andifhetookhimashischuminsteadofEast，wherewereallhispetplansofhavingabottled-beercellarunderhiswindow，andmakingnight-linesandslings，andplottingexpeditionstoBrownsoverMillsandCaldecott’sSpinney？Eastandhehadmadeuptheirmindstogetthisstudy，andtheneverynightfromlocking-uptilltentheywouldbetogethertotalkaboutfishing，drinkbottled-beer，readMarryat’snovels，andsortbirds’eggs。Andthisnewboywouldmostlikelynevergooutoftheclose，andwouldbeafraidofwetfeet，andalwaysgettinglaughedat，andcalledMolly，orJenny，orsomederogatoryfemininenickname。
Thematronwatchedhimforamoment，andsawwhatwaspassinginhismind，andso，likeawisenegotiator，threwinanappealtohiswarmheart。“Poorlittlefellow，“saidshe，inalmostawhisper；“hisfather’sdead，andhe’sgotnobrothers。Andhismamma——suchakind，sweetlady——almostbrokeherheartatleavinghimthismorning；andshesaidoneofhissisterswasliketodieofdecline，andso——“
“Well，well，“burstinTom，withsomethinglikeasighattheeffort，“IsupposeImustgiveupEast——Comealong，youngun。
What’syourname？We’llgoandhavesomesupper，andthenI’llshowyouourstudy。“
“Hisname’sGeorgeArthur，“saidthematron，walkinguptohimwithTom，whograspedhislittledelicatehandastheproperpreliminarytomakingachumofhim，andfeltasifhecouldhaveblownhimaway。“I’vehadhisbooksandthingsputintothestudy，whichhismammahashadnewpapered，andthesofacovered，andnewgreen-baizecurtainsoverthedoor“(thediplomaticmatronthrewthisin，toshowthatthenewboywascontributinglargelytothepartnershipcomforts)。“AndMrs。
Arnoldtoldmetosay，“sheadded，“thatsheshouldlikeyoubothtocomeuptoteawithher。Youknowtheway，MasterBrown，andthethingsarejustgoneup，Iknow。“
HerewasanannouncementforMasterTom！Hewastogouptoteathefirstnight，justasifhewereasixthorfifthformboy，andofimportanceintheSchoolworld，insteadofthemostrecklessyoungscapegraceamongstthefags。Hefelthimselfliftedontoahighersocialandmoralplatformatonce。
Neverthelesshecouldn’tgiveupwithoutasightheideaofthejollysupperinthehousekeeper’sroomwithEastandtherest，andarushroundtoallthestudiesofhisfriendsafterwards，topouroutthedeedsandwondersoftheholidays，toplotfiftyplansforthecominghalf-year，andtogathernewsofwhohadleftandwhatnewboyshadcome，whohadgotwho’sstudy，andwherethenewprepostorsslept。However，Tomconsoledhimselfwiththinkingthathecouldn’thavedoneallthiswiththenewboyathisheels，andsomarchedoffalongthepassagestotheDoctor’sprivatehousewithhisyoungchargeintow，inmonstrousgood-humourwithhimselfandalltheworld。
Itisneedless，andwouldbeimpertinent，totellhowthetwoyoungboyswerereceivedinthatdrawing-room。Theladywhopresidedthereisstillliving，andhascarriedwithhertoherpeacefulhomeinthenorththerespectandloveofallthosewhoeverfeltandsharedthatgentleandhigh-bredhospitality。Ay，manyisthebraveheart，nowdoingitsworkandbearingitsloadincountrycuracies，Londonchambers，undertheIndiansun，andinAustraliantownsandclearings，whichlooksbackwithfondandgratefulmemorytothatSchool-housedrawing-room，anddatesmuchofitshighestandbesttrainingtothelessonslearntthere。
BesidesMrs。Arnoldandoneortwooftheelderchildren，therewereoneoftheyoungermasters，youngBrooke(whowasnowinthesixth，andhadsucceededtohisbrother’spositionandinfluence)，andanothersixth-formboy，talkingtogetherbeforethefire。ThemasterandyoungBrooke，nowagreatstrappingfellowsixfeethigh，eighteenyearsold，andpowerfulasacoal-heaver，noddedkindlytoTom，tohisintenseglory，andthenwentontalking。Theotherdidnotnoticethem。Thehostess，afterafewkindwords，whichledtheboysatonceandinsensiblytofeelattheireaseandtobegintalkingtooneanother，leftthemwithherownchildrenwhileshefinishedaletter。Theyoungonesgotonfastandwell，Tomholdingforthaboutaprodigiousponyhehadbeenridingouthunting，andhearingstoriesofthewintergloriesofthelakes，whenteacamein，andimmediatelyaftertheDoctorhimself。
Howfrank，andkind，andmanlywashisgreetingtothepartybythefire！ItdidTom’sheartgoodtoseehimandyoungBrookeshakehands，andlookoneanotherintheface；andhedidn’tfailtoremarkthatBrookewasnearlyastallandquiteasbroadastheDoctor。Andhiscupwasfullwheninanothermomenthismasterturnedtohimwithanotherwarmshakeofthehand，and，seeminglyobliviousofallthelatescrapeswhichhehadbeengettinginto，said，“Ah，Brown，youhere！Ihopeyouleftyourfatherandallwellathome？“
“Yes，sir，quitewell。“
“Andthisisthelittlefellowwhoistoshareyourstudy。
Well，hedoesn’tlookasweshouldliketoseehim。HewantssomeRugbyair，andcricket。Andyoumusttakehimsomegoodlongwalks，toBiltonGrange，andCaldecott’sSpinney，andshowhimwhatalittleprettycountrywehaveabouthere。“
TomwonderediftheDoctorknewthathisvisitstoBiltonGrangewereforthepurposeoftakingrooks’nests(aproceedingstronglydiscountenancedbytheownerthereof)，andthosetoCaldecott’sSpinneywerepromptedchieflybytheconveniencesforsettingnight-lines。Whatdidn’ttheDoctorknow？Andwhatanobleusehealwaysmadeofit！Healmostresolvedtoabjurerook-piesandnight-linesforever。Theteawentmerrilyoff，theDoctornowtalkingofholidaydoings，andthenoftheprospectsofthehalf-year——whatchancetherewasfortheBalliolscholarship，whethertheelevenwouldbeagoodone。
Everybodywasathisease，andeverybodyfeltthathe，youngashemightbe，wasofsomeuseinthelittleSchoolworld，andhadaworktodothere。
SoonafterteatheDoctorwentofftohisstudy，andtheyoungboysafewminutesafterwardstooktheirleaveandwentoutoftheprivatedoorwhichledfromtheDoctor’shouseintothemiddlepassage。
Atthefire，atthefartherendofthepassage，wasacrowdofboysinloudtalkandlaughter。Therewasasuddenpausewhenthedooropened，andthenagreatshoutofgreeting，asTomwasrecognizedmarchingdownthepassage。
“Hullo，Brown！wheredoyoucomefrom？“
“Oh，I’vebeentoteawiththeDoctor，“saysTom，withgreatdignity。
“Myeye！“criedEast，“Oh！sothat’swhyMarycalledyouback，andyoudidn’tcometosupper。Youlostsomething。Thatbeefandpickleswasnoendgood。“
“Isay，youngfellow，“criedHall，detectingArthurandcatchinghimbythecollar，“what’syourname？Wheredoyoucomefrom？
Howoldareyou？“
TomsawArthurshrinkbackandlookscaredasallthegroupturnedtohim，butthoughtitbesttolethimanswer，juststandingbyhissidetosupportincaseofneed。
“Arthur，sir。IcomefromDevonshire。“
“Don’tcallme’sir，’youyoungmuff。Howoldareyou？“
“Thirteen。“
“Canyousing？“
Thepoorboywastremblingandhesitating。Tomstruckin——“Youbehanged，Tadpole。He’llhavetosing，whetherhecanornot，Saturdaytwelveweeks，andthat’slongenoughoffyet。“
“Doyouknowhimathome，Brown？“
“No；buthe’smychuminGray’soldstudy，andit’snearprayer-
time，andIhaven’thadalookatityet——Comealong，Arthur。“
Awaywentthetwo，Tomlongingtogethischargesafeundercover，wherehemightadvisehimonhisdeportment。
“WhataqueerchumforTomBrown，“wasthecommentatthefire；
anditmustbeconfessedsothoughtTomhimself，ashelightedhiscandle，andsurveyedthenewgreen-baizecurtainsandthecarpetandsofawithmuchsatisfaction。
“Isay，Arthur，whatabrickyourmotheristomakeussocozy！
Butlookherenow；youmustanswerstraightupwhenthefellowsspeaktoyou，anddon’tbeafraid。Ifyou’reafraid，you’llgetbullied。Anddon’tyousayyoucansing；anddon’tyouevertalkabouthome，oryourmotherandsisters。“
PoorlittleArthurlookedreadytocry。
“But，please，“saidhe，“mayn’tItalkabout——abouthometoyou？“
“Ohyes；Ilikeit。Butdon’ttalktoboysyoudon’tknow，orthey’llcallyouhome-sick，ormamma’sdarling，orsomesuchstuff。Whatajollydesk！Isthatyours？Andwhatstunningbinding！Why，yourschool-bookslooklikenovels。“
AndTomwassoondeepinArthur’sgoodsandchattels，allnew，andgoodenoughforafifth-formboy，andhardlythoughtofhisfriendsoutsidetilltheprayer-bellrang。
