Hitting in the face was a
felony punishable with flogging, other hitting only a misdemeanour--a
distinction not altogether clear in principle. Tom, however, escaped the
penalty by pleading primum tempus; and having written a second letter
to his mother, inclosing some forget-me-nots, which he picked on their
first half-holiday walk, felt quite happy again, and began to enjoy
vastly a good deal of his new life.
These half-holiday walks were the great events of the week. The whole
fifty boys started after dinner with one of the ushers for Hazeldown,
which was distant some mile or so from the school. Hazeldown measured
some three miles round, and in the neighbourhood were several woods full
of all manner of birds and butterflies. The usher walked slowly round
the down with such boys as liked to accompany him; the rest scattered
in all directions, being only bound to appear again when the usher
had completed his round, and accompany him home. They were forbidden,
however, to go anywhere except on the down and into the woods; the
village had been especially prohibited, where huge bull's-eyes and
unctuous toffy might be procured in exchange for coin of the realm.
Various were the amusements to which the boys then betook themselves. At
the entrance of the down there was a steep hillock, like the barrows of
Tom's own downs. This mound was the weekly scene of terrific combats,
at a game called by the queer name of "mud-patties.
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