the linch-pins out of the wheels of the gigs,
and was moralising upon the way in which the Doctor, "a terrible stern
man he'd heard tell," had come down upon several of the performers,
"sending three on 'em off next morning, each in a po-chay with a parish
constable," when they turned a corner and neared the milestone, the
third from Rugby. By the stone two boys stood, their jackets buttoned
tight, waiting for the coach.

"Look here, sir," says the guard, after giving a sharp toot-toot,
"there's two on 'em; out and out runners they be. They come out about
twice or three times a week, and spirts a mile alongside of us."

And as they came up, sure enough, away went two boys along the footpath,
keeping up with the horses; the first a light clean-made fellow going on
springs, the other stout and round-shouldered, labouring in his pace,
but going as dogged as a bull-terrier.

Old Blow-hard looked on admiringly. "See how beautiful that there un
holds hisself together, and goes from his hips, sir," said he; "he's a
'mazin' fine runner. Now, many coachmen as drives a first-rate team'd
put it on and try and pass 'em. But Bob, sir, bless you, he's
tender-hearted; he'd sooner pull in a bit if he see'd 'em a gettin'
beat. I do b'lieve too as that there un'd sooner break his heart than
let us go by him afore next milestone."

At the second milestone the boys pulled up short and waved their hats to
the guard, who had his watch out and shouted "4.56," thereby indicating
that the mile had been done in four seconds under the five minutes. They
passed several more parties of boys, all of them objects of the deepest
interest to Tom, and came in sight of the town at ten minutes before
twelve. Tom fetched a long breath, and thought he had never spent a
pleasanter day. Before he went to bed he had quite settled that it must
be the greatest day he should ever spend, and didn't alter his opinion
for many a long year--if he has yet.

CHAPTER V.

RUGBY AND FOOTBALL.

"----Foot and eye opposed
In dubious strife."
SCOTT.

"AND so here's Rugby, sir, at last, and you'll be in plenty of time for
dinner at the School-house, as I tell'd you," said the old guard,
pulling his horn out of its case, and tootle-tooing away; while the
coachman shook up his horses, and carried them along the side of the
school close, round Dead-man's Corner, past the school gates, and down
the High Street to