honest
folks names afore I've done with ee."

[33] #Gee#: give.

"My luck as usual," thinks Tom; "what a fool I was to give him a
black.[34] If I'd called him 'keeper,' now, I might get off. The
return match[35] is all his way."

[34] #Black#: a nickname.

[35] #Return match#: the end of the affair.

VELVETEENS' REVENGE.

The keeper quietly proceeded to take out his pipe, fill and light it,
keeping an eye on Tom, who now sat disconsolately across the branch,
looking at keeper,--a pitiful sight for men and fishes. The more he
thought of it, the less he liked it. "It must be getting near second
calling-over," thinks he. Keeper smokes on stolidly. "If he takes me
up, I shall be flogged safe enough. I can't sit here all night. Wonder
if he'll rise at silver."[36]

[36] #Rise at silver#: let one off for money.

"I say, keeper," said he meekly, "let me go for two bob?"[37]

[37] #Bob#: a shilling.

"Not for twenty neither," grunts his persecutor.

And so they sat on till long past second calling-over, and the sun
came slanting in through the willow branches, and telling of
locking-up near at hand.

"I'm coming down, keeper," said Tom at last, with a sigh, fairly tired
out. "Now, what are you going to do?"

"Walk ee up to school, and give ee over to the Doctor; them's my
orders," says Velveteens, knocking the ashes out of his fourth pipe,
and standing up and shaking himself.

"Very good," said Tom; "but hands off, you know. I'll go with you
quietly, so no collaring or that sort of thing."

Keeper looked at him a minute--"Werry good," said he, at last; and so
Tom descended, and wended his way drearily by the side of the keeper
up to the School-house, where they arrived just at locking-up. As they
passed the School-gates, the Tadpole and several others who were
standing there caught the state of things, and rushed out, crying,
"Rescue!" but Tom shook his head, so they only followed to the
Doctor's gate, and went back sorely puzzled.

How changed and stern the Doctor seemed from the last time that Tom
was up there, as the keeper told the story, not omitting to state how
Tom had called him blackguard names. "Indeed, sir," broke in the
culprit, "it was only Velveteens." The Doctor only asked one question.

"You know the rule about the banks, Brown?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then wait for me to-morrow, after the first lesson."

"I thought so," muttered Tom.

"And about the rod, sir?" went on