deed, the Squire's last words deserved to have their effect, for
they had been the result of much anxious thought. All the way up to
London he had pondered what he should say to Tom by way of parting
advice; something that the boy could keep in his head ready for use.
By way of assisting meditation, he had even gone the length of taking
out his flint and steel and tinder, and hammering away for a quarter
of an hour till he had manufactured a light for a long cheroot,[10]
which he silently puffed; to the no small wonder of Coachee, who was
an old friend, and an institution on the Bath road; and who always
expected a talk on the prospects and doings, agricultural and social,
of the whole country when he carried the Squire.

[10] #Cheroot#: a kind of cigar.

To condense the Squire's meditation, it was somewhat as follows: "I
won't tell him to read his Bible, and love and serve God; if he
doesn't do that for his mother's sake and teaching, he won't for mine.
Shall I go into the sort of temptations he'll meet with? No, I can't
do that. Never do for an old fellow to go into such things with a boy.
He won't understand me. Do him more harm than good, ten to one.
Shall I tell him to mind his work, and say he's sent to school to
make himself a good scholar? Well, but he isn't sent to school for
that,--at any rate not for that mainly. I don't care a straw for Greek
particles, or the digamma;[11] no more does his mother. What is he
sent to school for? Well, partly because he wanted so to go. If he'll
only turn out a brave, helpful, truth-telling Englishman, and a
gentleman, and a Christian, that's all I want," thought the Squire;
and upon this view of the case he framed the last words of advice to
Tom, which were well enough suited to his purpose.

[11] #Digamma#: an ancient letter of the Greek alphabet. Greek
particles are prepositions and conjunctions--hence nice or
difficult points of Greek grammar.

THE TALLY-HO.

For they were Tom's first thoughts as he tumbled out of bed at the
summons of Boots, and proceeded rapidly to wash and dress himself. At
ten minutes to three he was down in the coffee-room in his stockings,
carrying his hat-box, coat, and comforter in his hand, and there he
found his father nursing a bright fire, and a cup of hot coffee and a
hard biscuit[12] on the table.

[12] #Hard biscuit#: cracker.

"Now then, Tom, give us your things here, and drink this; there's
nothing like start