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I say, Scud, said he at last, rousing himself to snuff the candle, what right have the fifth-form boys to fag us as they do? No more right than you have to fag them, answered East, without looking up from an early number of Pickwick, which was just coming out, and which he was luxuriously devouring, stretched on his back on the sofa. Tom relapsed into his brown study, and East went on reading and chuckling. The contrast of the boys faces would have given infinite amusement to a looker-on, the one so solemn and big with mighty purpose, the other radiant and bubbling over with fun. Do you know, old fellow, Ive been thinking it over a good deal, began Tom again. Oh yes, I know, fagging you are thinking of. Hang it all,but listen here, Tomheres fun. Mr. Winkles horse And Ive made up my mind, broke in Tom, that I wont fag except for the sixth. Quite right too, my boy, cried East, putting his finger on the place and looking up; but a pretty peck of troubles youll get into, if youre going to play that game. However, Im all for a strike myself, if we can get others to joinits getting too bad. Cant we get some sixth-form fellow to take it up? asked Tom. Well, perhaps we might; Morgan would interfere, I think. Only, added East, after a moments pause, you see, we should have to tell him about it, and thats against School principles. Dont you remember what old Brooke said about learning to take our own parts? Ah, I wish old Brooke were back againit was all right in his time. Why, yes, you see, then the strongest and best fellows were in the sixth, and the fifth-form fellows were afraid of them, and they kept good order; but now our sixth-form fellows are too small, and the fifth dont care for them, and do what they like in the house. And so we get a double set of masters, cried Tom, indignantly; the lawful ones, who are responsible to the Doctor at any rate, and the unlawfulthe tyrants, who are responsible to nobody. Down with the tyrants! cried East; Im all for law and order, and hurra for a revolution. I shouldnt mind if it were only for young Brooke now, said Tom, hes such a good-hearted, gentlemanly fellow, and ought to be in the sixthId do anything for him. But that blackguard Flashman, who never speaks to one without a kick or an oath The cowardly brute, broke in East, how I hate him! And he knows it too, he knows that you and I think him a coward. What a bore that hes got a study in this passage! Dont you hear them now at supper in his den? Brandy punch going, Ill bet. I wish the Doctor would come out and catch him. We must change our study as soon as we can. Change or no change, Ill never fag for him again, said Tom, thumping the table. Fa-a-a-ag! sounded along the passage from Flashmans study. The two boys looked at one another in silence. It had struck nine, so the regular night-fags had left duty, and they were the nearest to the supper-party. East sat up, and began to look comical, as he always did under difficulties. Fa-a-a-ag! again. No answer. |
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