IhavealreadydescribedtheSchool-houseprayers。Theywerethesameonthefirstnightasontheothernights，saveforthegapscausedbytheabsenceofthoseboyswhocamelate，andthelineofnewboyswhostoodalltogetheratthefarthertable——
ofallsortsandsizes，likeyoungbearswithalltheirtroublestocome，asTom’sfatherhadsaidtohimwhenhewasinthesameposition。Hethoughtofitashelookedattheline，andpoorlittleslightArthurstandingwiththem，andashewasleadinghimupstairstoNumber4，directlyafterprayers，andshowinghimhisbed。Itwasahuge，high，airyroom，withtwolargewindowslookingontotheSchoolclose。Thereweretwelvebedsintheroom。Theoneinthefarthestcornerbythefireplace，occupiedbythesixth-formboy，whowasresponsibleforthedisciplineoftheroom，andtherestbyboysinthelower-fifthandotherjuniorforms，allfags(forthefifth-formboys，ashasbeensaid，sleptinroomsbythemselves)。Beingfags，theeldestofthemwasnotmorethanaboutsixteenyearsold，andwereallboundtobeupandinbedbyten。Thesixth-formboyscametobedfromtentoaquarter-past(atwhichtimetheoldvergercameroundtoputthecandlesout)，exceptwhentheysatuptoread。
Withinafewminutesthereforeoftheirentry，alltheotherboyswhosleptinNumber4hadcomeup。Thelittlefellowswentquietlytotheirownbeds，andbeganundressing，andtalkingtoeachotherinwhispers；whiletheelder，amongstwhomwasTom，satchattingaboutononeanother’sbeds，withtheirjacketsandwaistcoatsoff。PoorlittleArthurwasoverwhelmedwiththenoveltyofhisposition。Theideaofsleepingintheroomwithstrangeboyshadclearlynevercrossedhismindbefore，andwasaspainfulasitwasstrangetohim。Hecouldhardlybeartotakehisjacketoff；however，presently，withaneffort，offitcame，andthenhepausedandlookedatTom，whowassittingatthebottomofhisbedtalkingandlaughing。
“Please，Brown，“hewhispered，“mayIwashmyfaceandhands？“
“Ofcourse，ifyoulike，“saidTom，staring；“that’syourwashhand-stand，underthewindow，secondfromyourbed。You’llhavetogodownformorewaterinthemorningifyouuseitall。“Andonhewentwithhistalk，whileArthurstoletimidlyfrombetweenthebedsouttohiswashhand-stand，andbeganhisablutions，therebydrawingforamomentonhimselftheattentionoftheroom。
Onwentthetalkandlaughter。Arthurfinishedhiswashingandundressing，andputonhisnight-gown。Hethenlookedroundmorenervouslythanever。Twoorthreeofthelittleboyswerealreadyinbed，sittingupwiththeirchinsontheirknees。Thelightburnedclear，thenoisewenton。Itwasatryingmomentforthepoorlittlelonelyboy；however，thistimehedidn’taskTomwhathemightormightnotdo，butdroppedonhiskneesbyhisbedside，ashehaddoneeverydayfromhischildhood，toopenhishearttoHimwhoheareththecryandbeareththesorrowsofthetenderchild，andthestrongmaninagony。
Tomwassittingatthebottomofhisbedunlacinghisboots，sothathisbackwastowardsArthur，andhedidn’tseewhathadhappened，andlookedupinwonderatthesuddensilence。Thentwoorthreeboyslaughedandsneered，andabig，brutalfellowwhowasstandinginthemiddleoftheroompickedupaslipper，andshieditatthekneelingboy，callinghimasnivellingyoungshaver。ThenTomsawthewhole，andthenextmomenttheboothehadjustpulledoffflewstraightattheheadofthebully，whohadjusttimetothrowuphisarmandcatchitonhiselbow。
“Confoundyou，Brown！what’sthatfor？“roaredhe，stampingwithpain。
“NevermindwhatImean，“saidTom，steppingontothefloor，everydropofbloodinhisbodytingling；“ifanyfellowwantstheotherboot，heknowshowtogetit。“
Whatwouldhavebeentheresultisdoubtful，foratthismomentthesixth-formboycamein，andnotanotherwordcouldbesaid。
Tomandtherestrushedintobedandfinishedtheirunrobingthere，andtheoldverger，aspunctualastheclock，hadputoutthecandleinanotherminute，andtoddledontothenextroom，shuttingtheirdoorwithhisusual“Good-night，gen’lm’n。“
Thereweremanyboysintheroombywhomthatlittlescenewastakentoheartbeforetheyslept。ButsleepseemedtohavedesertedthepillowofpoorTom。Forsometimehisexcitement，andthefloodofmemorieswhichchasedoneanotherthroughhisbrain，kepthimfromthinkingorresolving。Hisheadthrobbed，hisheartleapt，andhecouldhardlykeephimselffromspringingoutofbedandrushingabouttheroom。Thenthethoughtofhisownmothercameacrosshim，andthepromisehehadmadeatherknee，yearsago，nevertoforgettokneelbyhisbedside，andgivehimselfuptohisFather，beforehelaidhisheadonthepillow，fromwhichitmightneverrise；andhelaydowngently，andcriedasifhisheartwouldbreak。Hewasonlyfourteenyearsold。
Itwasnolightactofcourageinthosedays，mydearboys，foralittlefellowtosayhisprayerspublicly，evenatRugby。A
fewyearslater，whenArnold’smanlypietyhadbeguntoleaventheSchool，thetablesturned；beforehedied，intheSchool-
houseatleast，andIbelieveintheotherhouse，therulewastheotherway。ButpoorTomhadcometoschoolinothertimes。
Thefirstfewnightsafterhecamehedidnotkneeldownbecauseofthenoise，butsatupinbedtillthecandlewasout，andthenstoleoutandsaidhisprayers，infearlestsomeoneshouldfindhimout。Sodidmanyanotherpoorlittlefellow。
Thenhebegantothinkthathemightjustaswellsayhisprayersinbed，andthenthatitdidn’tmatterwhetherhewaskneeling，orsitting，orlyingdown。AndsoithadcometopasswithTom，aswithallwhowillnotconfesstheirLordbeforemen；andforthelastyearhehadprobablynotsaidhisprayersinearnestadozentimes。
PoorTom！thefirstandbitterestfeelingwhichwasliketobreakhisheartwasthesenseofhisowncowardice。Theviceofallotherswhichheloathedwasbroughtinandburntinonhisownsoul。Hehadliedtohismother，tohisconscience，tohisGod。Howcouldhebearit？Andthenthepoorlittleweakboy，whomhehadpitiedandalmostscornedforhisweakness，haddonethatwhichhe，braggartashewas，darednotdo。Thefirstdawnofcomfortcametohiminswearingtohimselfthathewouldstandbythatboythroughthickandthin，andcheerhim，andhelphim，andbearhisburdensforthegooddeeddonethatnight。Thenheresolvedtowritehomenextdayandtellhismotherall，andwhatacowardhersonhadbeen。Andthenpeacecametohimasheresolved，lastly，tobearhistestimonynextmorning。Themorningwouldbeharderthanthenighttobeginwith，buthefeltthathecouldnotaffordtoletonechanceslip。Severaltimeshefaltered，forthedevilshowedhimfirstallhisoldfriendscallinghim“Saint“and“Square-toes，“andadozenhardnames，andwhisperedtohimthathismotiveswouldbemisunderstood，andhewouldonlybeleftalonewiththenewboy；
whereasitwashisdutytokeepallmeansofinfluence，thathemightdogoodtothelargestnumber。Andthencamethemoresubtletemptation，“ShallInotbeshowingmyselfbraverthanothersbydoingthis？HaveIanyrighttobeginitnow？OughtInotrathertoprayinmyownstudy，lettingotherboysknowthatIdoso，andtryingtoleadthemtoit，whileinpublicatleastIshouldgoonasIhavedone？“However，hisgoodangelwastoostrongthatnight，andheturnedonhissideandslept，tiredoftryingtoreason，butresolvedtofollowtheimpulsewhichhadbeensostrong，andinwhichhehadfoundpeace。
Nextmorninghewasupandwashedanddressed，allbuthisjacketandwaistcoat，justasthetenminutes’bellbegantoring，andtheninthefaceofthewholeroomkneltdowntopray。
Notfivewordscouldhesay——thebellmockedhim；hewaslisteningforeverywhisperintheroom——whatweretheyallthinkingofhim？Hewasashamedtogoonkneeling，ashamedtorisefromhisknees。Atlast，asitwerefromhisinmostheart，astill，smallvoiceseemedtobreatheforththewordsofthepublican，“Godbemercifultomeasinner！“Herepeatedthemoverandover，clingingtothemasforhislife，androsefromhiskneescomfortedandhumbled，andreadytofacethewholeworld。Itwasnotneeded:twootherboysbesidesArthurhadalreadyfollowedhisexample，andhewentdowntothegreatSchoolwithaglimmeringofanotherlessoninhisheart——thelessonthathewhohasconqueredhisowncowardspirithasconqueredthewholeoutwardworld；andthatotheronewhichtheoldprophetlearntinthecaveinMountHoreb，whenhehidhisface，andthestill，smallvoiceasked，“Whatdoestthouhere，Elijah？“thathoweverwemayfancyourselvesaloneonthesideofgood，theKingandLordofmenisnowherewithoutHiswitnesses；forineverysociety，howeverseeminglycorruptandgodless，therearethosewhohavenotbowedthekneetoBaal。
Hefound，too，howgreatlyhehadexaggeratedtheeffecttobeproducedbyhisact。Forafewnightstherewasasneeroralaughwhenhekneltdown，butthispassedoffsoon，andonebyonealltheotherboysbutthreeorfourfollowedthelead。I
fearthatthiswasinsomemeasureowingtothefactthatTomcouldprobablyhavethrashedanyboyintheroomexcepttheprepostor；atanyrate，everyboyknewthathewouldtryuponveryslightprovocation，anddidn’tchoosetoruntheriskofahardfightbecauseTomBrownhadtakenafancytosayhisprayers。SomeofthesmallboysofNumber4communicatedthenewstateofthingstotheirchums，andinseveralotherroomsthepoorlittlefellowstriediton——inoneinstanceorso，wheretheprepostorheardofitandinterferedverydecidedly，withpartialsuccess；butintherest，afterashortstruggle，theconfessorswerebulliedorlaugheddown，andtheoldstateofthingswentonforsometimelonger。BeforeeitherTomBrownorArthurlefttheSchool-house，therewasnoroominwhichithadnotbecometheregularcustom。Itrustitissostill，andthattheoldheathenstateofthingshasgoneoutforever。
“AndHeaven’srichinstinctsinhimgrewAseffortlessaswoodlandnooksSendvioletsupandpaintthemblue。“-LOWELL。
IdonotmeantorecountallthelittletroublesandannoyanceswhichthrongeduponTomatthebeginningofthishalf-year，inhisnewcharacterofbear-leadertoagentlelittleboystraightfromhome。Heseemedtohimselftohavebecomeanewboyagain，withoutanyofthelong-sufferingandmeeknessindispensableforsupportingthatcharacterwithmoderatesuccess。Frommorningtillnighthehadthefeelingofresponsibilityonhismind，andevenifheleftArthurintheirstudyorinthecloseforanhour，wasneverateasetillhehadhiminsightagain。Hewaitedforhimatthedoorsoftheschoolaftereverylessonandeverycalling-over；watchedthatnotrickswereplayedhim，andnonebuttheregulationquestionsasked；kepthiseyeonhisplateatdinnerandbreakfast，toseethatnounfairdepredationsweremadeuponhisviands；inshort，asEastremarked，cackledafterhimlikeahenwithonechick。
Arthurtookalongtimethawing，too，whichmadeitalltheharderwork；wassadlytimid；scarcelyeverspokeunlessTomspoketohimfirst；and，worstofall，wouldagreewithhimineverything——thehardestthingintheworldforaBrowntobear。
