Page:Tom Brown's School Days (6th ed).djvu/153

 You're bound to listen to me; for what's the use of calling me 'pater,' and all that, if you don't mind what I say? And I'm going to talk seriously, because I feel so. It's a jolly time, too, getting to the end of the half, and a goal kicked by us first day—[tremendous applause]—after one of the hardest and fiercest day's play I can remember in eight years—[frantic shoutings]. The School played splendidly, too, I will say, and kept it up to the last. That last charge of theirs would have carried away a house. I never thought to see anything again of old Crab there, except little pieces, when I saw him tumbled over by it—[laughter and shouting, and great slapping on the back of Jones by the boys nearest him]. Well, but we beat them—[cheers]. Ay, but why did we beat 'em? answer me that—[shouts of "your play"]. Nonsense! 'Twasn't the wind and kick-off either—that wouldn't do it. 'Twasn't because we've half a dozen of the best players in the school, as we have. I wouldn't change Warner and Hedge and Crab and the young un for any six on their side—[violent cheers]. But half a dozen fellows can't keep it up for two hours against two hundred. Why is it, then? I'll tell you what I think. It's because we've more reliance on one another, more of a house feeling, more fellowship than the School can have. Each of us knows and can depend on his next-hand man better—that's why we beat 'em to-day. We've union, they've division—there's the secret—[cheers]. But how's this to be kept up? How's it to be improved? That's the question. For, I take it, we're all in earnest about beating the School, whatever else we care about. I know I'd sooner win two School-house matches running than get the Balliol scholarship any day—[frantic cheers].

"Now, I'm as proud of the house as any one. I believe it's the best house in the school, out and out—[cheers]. But it's a long way from what I want to see it. First, there's a deal of bullying going on. I know it well. I don't pry about and interfere; that only makes it more underhand, and encourages the small boys to come to us with their fingers in their eyes telling tales, and so we