The masters of the
lower school walked up and down the great school together during this
three-quarters of an hour, or sat in their desks reading or looking over
copies, and keeping such order as was possible. But the lower-fourth
was just now an overgrown form, too large for any one man to attend
to properly, and consequently the elysium or ideal form of the young
scapegraces who formed the staple of it.
Tom, as has been said, had come up from the third with a good character,
but the temptations of the lower-fourth soon proved too strong for him,
and he rapidly fell away, and became as unmanageable as the rest.
For some weeks, indeed, he succeeded in maintaining the appearance of
steadiness, and was looked upon favourably by his new master, whose eyes
were first opened by the following little incident.
Besides the desk which the master himself occupied, there was another
large unoccupied desk in the corner of the great school, which was
untenanted. To rush and seize upon this desk, which was ascended by
three steps and held four boys, was the great object of ambition of the
lower-fourthers; and the contentions for the occupation of it bred such
disorder that at last the master forbade its use altogether. This, of
course, was a challenge to the more adventurous spirits to occupy it;
and as it was capacious enough for two boys to lie hid there completely,
it was seldom that it remained empty, notwithstanding the veto.
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