The fact is, that at the end of the last round, Tom, seeing a good
opening, had closed with his opponent, and after a moment's struggle,
had thrown him heavily, by help of the fall he had learnt from his
village rival in the Vale of White Horse. Williams hadn't the ghost of
a chance with Tom at wrestling; and the conviction broke at once on
the Slogger faction that if this were allowed their man must be licked.
There was a strong feeling in the School against catching hold and
throwing, though it was generally ruled all fair within limits; so the
ring was broken and the fight stopped.
The School-house are overruled--the fight is on again, but there is to
be no throwing; and East, in high wrath, threatens to take his man away
after next round (which he don't mean to do, by the way), when suddenly
young Brooke comes through the small gate at the end of the chapel. The
School-house faction rush to him. "Oh, hurrah! now we shall get fair
play."
"Please, Brooke, come up. They won't let Tom Brown throw him."
"Throw whom?" says Brooke, coming up to the ring. "Oh! Williams, I see.
Nonsense! Of course he may throw him, if he catches him fairly above the
waist."
Now, young Brooke, you're in the sixth, you know, and you ought to stop
all fights. He looks hard at both boys. "Anything wrong?" says he to
East, nodding at Tom.
"Not a bit.
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