“Sneakinglittlebrute，“mutteredhe，regardlessofprudence——
“clappingonthewater-worksjustinthehardestplace；seeifI
don’tpunchhisheadafterfourthlesson。“
“Whose？“saidTom，towhomtheremarkseemedtobeaddressed。
“Why，thatlittlesneak，Arthur’s，“repliedWilliams。
“No，youshan’t，“saidTom。
“Hullo！“exclaimedWilliams，lookingatTomwithgreatsurpriseforamoment，andthengivinghimasuddendigintheribswithhiselbow，whichsentTom’sbooksflyingontothefloor，andcalledtheattentionofthemaster，whoturnedsuddenlyround，andseeingthestateofthings，said，-
“Williams，godownthreeplaces，andthengoon。“
TheSloggerfoundhislegsveryslowly，andproceededtogobelowTomandtwootherboyswithgreatdisgust；andthen，turningroundandfacingthemaster，said，“Ihaven’tlearntanymore，sir；ourlessonisonlyfortylines。“
“Isthatso？“saidthemaster，appealinggenerallytothetopbench。Noanswer。
“Whoistheheadboyoftheform？“saidhe，waxingwroth。
“Arthur，sir，“answeredthreeorfourboys，indicatingourfriend。
“Oh，yourname’sArthur。Well，now，whatisthelengthofyourregularlesson？“
Arthurhesitatedamoment，andthensaid，“Wecallitonlyfortylines，sir。“
“Howdoyoumean——youcallit？“
“Well，sir，Mr。Grahamsaysweain’ttostoptherewhenthere’stimetoconstruemore。“
“Iunderstand，“saidthemaster——“Williams，godownthreemoreplaces，andwritemeoutthelessoninGreekandEnglish。
Andnow，Arthur，finishconstruing。“
“Oh！wouldIbeinArthur’sshoesafterfourthlesson？“saidthelittleboystooneanother；butArthurfinishedHelen’sspeechwithoutanyfurthercatastrophe，andtheclockstruckfour，whichendedthirdlesson。
Anotherhourwasoccupiedinpreparingandsayingfourthlesson，duringwhichWilliamswasbottlinguphiswrath；andwhenfivestruck，andthelessonsforthedaywereover，hepreparedtotakesummaryvengeanceontheinnocentcauseofhismisfortune。
Tomwasdetainedinschoolafewminutesaftertherest，andoncomingoutintothequadrangle，thefirstthinghesawwasasmallringofboys，applaudingWilliams，whowasholdingArthurbythecollar。
“There，youyoungsneak，“saidhe，givingArthuracuffontheheadwithhisotherhand；“whatmadeyousaythat——“
“Hullo！“saidTom，shoulderingintothecrowd；“youdropthat，Williams；youshan’ttouchhim。“
“Who’llstopme？“saidtheSlogger，raisinghishandagain。
“I，“saidTom；andsuitingtheactiontothewordhestruckthearmwhichheldArthur’sarmsosharplythattheSloggerdroppeditwithastart，andturnedthefullcurrentofhiswrathonTom。
“Willyoufight？“
“Yes，ofcourse。“
“Huzza！There’sgoingtobeafightbetweenSloggerWilliamsandTomBrown！“
Thenewsranlikewildfireabout，andmanyboyswhowereontheirwaytoteaattheirseveralhousesturnedback，andsoughtthebackofthechapel，wherethefightscomeoff。
“JustrunandtellEasttocomeandbackme，“saidTomtoasmallSchool-houseboy，whowasofflikearockettoHarrowell’s，juststoppingforamomenttopokehisheadintotheSchool-househall，wherethelowerboyswerealreadyattea，andsingout，“Fight！TomBrownandSloggerWilliams。“
Upstarthalftheboysatonce，leavingbread，eggs，butter，sprats，andalltheresttotakecareofthemselves。Thegreaterpartoftheremainderfollowinaminute，afterswallowingtheirtea，carryingtheirfoodintheirhandstoconsumeastheygo。Threeorfouronlyremain，whostealthebutterofthemoreimpetuous，andmaketothemselvesanunctuousfeast。
InanotherminuteEastandMartintearthroughthequadrangle，carryingasponge，andarriveatthesceneofactionjustasthecombatantsarebeginningtostrip。
Tomfelthehadgothisworkcutoutforhim，ashestrippedoffhisjacket，waistcoat，andbraces。Easttiedhishandkerchiefroundhiswaist，androlleduphisshirtsleevesforhim。“Now，oldboy，don’tyouopenyourmouthtosayaword，ortrytohelpyourselfabit——we’lldoallthat；youkeepallyourbreathandstrengthfortheSlogger。“Martinmeanwhilefoldedtheclothes，andputthemunderthechapelrails；andnowTom，withEasttohandlehim，andMartintogivehimaknee，stepsoutontheturf，andisreadyforallthatmaycome；andhereistheSloggertoo，allstripped，andthirstingforthefray。
Itdoesn’tlookafairmatchatfirstglance:Williamsisnearlytwoinchestaller，andprobablyalongyearolderthanhisopponent，andheisverystronglymadeaboutthearmsandshoulders——“peelswell，“asthelittleknotofbigfifth-formboys，theamateurs，say，whostandoutsidetheringoflittleboys，lookingcomplacentlyon，buttakingnoactivepartintheproceedings。Butdownbelowheisnotsogoodbyanymeans——nospringfromtheloins，andfeeblish，nottosayshipwrecky，abouttheknees。Tom，onthecontrary，thoughnothalfsostronginthearms，isgoodallover，straight，hard，andspringy，fromnecktoankle，betterperhapsinhislegsthananywhere。Besides，youcanseebytheclearwhiteofhiseye，andfresh，brightlookofhisskin，thatheisintip-toptraining，abletodoallheknows；whiletheSloggerlooksrathersodden，asifhedidn’ttakemuchexerciseandatetoomuchtuck。Thetime-keeperischosen，alargeringmade，andthetwostandupoppositeoneanotherforamoment，givingustimejusttomakeourlittleobservations。
“IfTom’llonlycondescendtofightwithhisheadandheels，“asEastmutterstoMartin，“weshalldo。“
Butseeminglyhewon’t，fortherehegoesin，makingplaywithbothhands。Hardallistheword；thetwostandtooneanotherlikemen；rallyfollowsrallyinquicksuccession，eachfightingasifhethoughttofinishthewholethingoutofhand。“Can’tlastatthisrate，“saytheknowingones，whilethepartisansofeachmaketheairringwiththeirshoutsandcounter-shoutsofencouragement，approval，anddefiance。
“Takeiteasy，takeiteasy；keepaway；lethimcomeafteryou，“
imploresEast，ashewipesTom’sfaceafterthefirstroundwithawetsponge，whilehesitsbackonMartin’sknee，supportedbytheMadman’slongarmswhichtremblealittlefromexcitement。
“Time’sup，“callsthetime-keeper。
“Therehegoesagain，hangitall！“growlsEast，ashismanisatitagain，ashardasever。Averysevereroundfollows，inwhichTomgetsoutandouttheworstofit，andisatlasthitcleanoffhislegs，anddepositedonthegrassbyaright-handerfromtheSlogger。
LoudshoutsrisefromtheboysofSlogger’shouse，andtheSchool-housearesilentandvicious，readytopickquarrelsanywhere。
“Twotooneinhalf-crownsonthebigun，“saysRattle，oneoftheamateurs，atallfellow，inthunder-and-lightningwaistcoat，andpuffy，good-naturedface。
“Done！“saysGroove，anotheramateurofquieterlook，takingouthisnotebooktoenterit，forourfriendRattlesometimesforgetstheselittlethings。
MeantimeEastisfresheningupTomwiththespongesfornextround，andhassettwootherboystorubhishands。
“Tom，oldboy，“whispershe，“thismaybefunforyou，butit’sdeathtome。He’llhitallthefightoutofyouinanotherfiveminutes，andthenIshallgoanddrownmyselfintheislandditch。Feinthim；useyourlegs；drawhimabout。He’lllosehiswindtheninnotime，andyoucangointohim。Hitathisbodytoo；we’lltakecareofhisfrontispieceby-and-by。“
Tomfeltthewisdomofthecounsel，andsawalreadythathecouldn’tgoinandfinishtheSloggeroffatmerehammerandtongs，sochangedhistacticscompletelyinthethirdround。Henowfightscautiously，gettingawayfromandparryingtheSlogger’slunginghits，insteadoftryingtocounter，andleadinghisenemyadanceallroundtheringafterhim。“He’sfunking；goin，Williams，““Catchhimup，““Finishhimoff，“
screamthesmallboysoftheSloggerparty。
“Justwhatwewant，“thinksEast，chucklingtohimself，asheseesWilliams，excitedbytheseshouts，andthinkingthegameinhisownhands，blowinghimselfinhisexertionstogettoclosequartersagain，whileTomiskeepingawaywithperfectease。
Theyquarteroverthegroundagainandagain，Tomalwaysonthedefensive。
TheSloggerpullsupatlastforamoment，fairlyblown。
“Now，then，Tom，“singsoutEast，dancingwithdelight。Tomgoesininatwinkling，andhitstwoheavybodyblows，andgetsawayagainbeforetheSloggercancatchhiswind，whichwhenhedoesherusheswithblindfuryatTom，andbeingskilfullyparriedandavoided，overreacheshimselfandfallsonhisface，amidstterrificcheersfromtheSchool-houseboys。
“Doubleyourtwotoone？“saysGroovetoRattle，notebookinhand。
“Stopabit，“saysthathero，lookinguncomfortablyatWilliams，whoispuffingawayonhissecond’sknee，windedenough，butlittletheworseinanyotherway。
AfteranotherroundtheSloggertooseemstoseethathecan’tgoinandwinrightoff，andhasmethismatchorthereabouts。
Sohetoobeginstousehishead，andtriestomakeTomlosehispatience，andcomeinbeforehistime。Andsothefightswayson，nowoneandnowtheothergettingatriflingpull。
