the bell began tolling for dinner; so
they went into the hall and took their places, Tom at the very bottom
of the second table, next to the prepostor (who sat at the end to keep
order there), and East a few paces higher. And now Tom for the first
time saw his future school-fellows in a body. In they came, some hot
and ruddy from football or long walks, some pale and chilly from hard
reading in their studies, some from loitering over the fire at
the pastrycook's, dainty mortals, bringing with them pickles and
saucebottles to help them with their dinners. And a great big-bearded
man, whom Tom took for a master, began calling over the names, while the
great joints were being rapidly carved on the third table in the
corner by the old verger and the housekeeper. Tom's turn came last, and
meanwhile he was all eyes, looking first with awe at the great man, who
sat close to him, and was helped first, and who read a hard-looking book
all the time he was eating; and when he got up and walked off to the
fire, at the small boys round him, some of whom were reading, and the
rest talking in whispers to one another, or stealing one another's
bread, or shooting pellets, or digging their forks through the
tablecloth. However, notwithstanding his curiosity, he managed to make
a capital dinner by the time the big man called "Stand up!" and said
grace.

As soon as dinner was over, and Tom had been questioned by such of his
neighbours as were curious as to his birth, parentage, education, and
other like matters, East, who evidently enjoyed his new dignity of
patron and mentor, proposed having a look at the close, which Tom,
athirst for knowledge, gladly assented to; and they went out through the
quadrangle and past the big fives court, into the great playground.

"That's the chapel, you see," said East; "and there, just behind it, is
the place for fights. You see it's most out of the way of the masters,
who all live on the other side, and don't come by here after first
lesson or callings-over. That's when the fights come off. And all this
part where we are is the little-side ground, right up to the trees; and
on the other side of the trees is the big-side ground, where the great
matches are played. And there's the island in the farthest corner;
you'll know that well enough next half, when there's island fagging. I
say, it's horrid cold; let's have a run across." And away went East, Tom
close behind him. East was evidently putting his best