holders of
academic degrees to wear at times the appropriate cap and gown
indicating their grade and college.

[34] #The Big School#: the name of one of the school buildings
at Rugby.

"I may come in, mayn't I?" said Tom, catching East by the arm and
longing to feel one of them.

"Yes, come along, nobody'll say anything. You won't be so eager to get
into calling-over after a month," replied his friend; and they marched
into the Big School together, and up to the further end, where that
illustrious form, the lower fourth, which had the honor of East's
patronage for the time-being, stood.

The master mounted into the high desk by the door, and one of the
praepostors of the week stood by him on the steps, the other three
marching up and down the middle of the school with their canes,[35]
calling out "Silence, silence!" The sixth form stood close by the door
on the left, some thirty in number, mostly great, big, grown men, as
Tom thought, surveying them from a distance with awe. The fifth form
behind them, twice their number, and not quite so big. These on the
left; and on the right the lower fifth, shell,[36] and all the junior
forms in order; while up the middle marched the three praepostors.

[35] #Canes#: light, limber rattans used as rods.

[36] #Shell#: the lower fourth form or class.

Then the praepostor who stands by the master calls out the names,
beginning with the sixth form; and as he calls, each boy answers
"here" to his name, and walks out. Some of the sixth stop at the door
to turn the whole string of boys into the close; it is a great match
day, and every boy in the school will-he, nill-he,[37] must be there.
The rest of the sixth go forward into the close, to see that no one
escapes by any of the side gates.

[37] #Will-he, nill-he#: willing or not.

"THEY TRUST TO OUR HONOR."

To-day, however, being the School-house match, none of the
School-house praepostors stay by the door to watch for truants of their
side; there is _carte blanche_[38] to the School-house fags to go
where they like: "They trust to our honor," as East proudly informs
Tom; "they know very well that no School-house boy would cut the
match.[39] If he did, we'd very soon cut him,[40] I can tell you."

[38] #Carte blanche#: literally, a white card to be filled up
as one pleases; hence, unlimited power.

[39] #Cut the match#: refuse to be present at the game.

[40] #Cut him#: dro