272
Hoar-frost: frozen dew.
273
Pikeman: the man who takes toll on a turnpike.
274
St. Albans: about twenty miles north of London.
275
Stage: division of a journey.
276
Purl: a hot drink made of beer and other ingredients.
277
Tackle: stuff.
278
Meet: a gathering of huntsmen for a hunt.
279
Hack: here, nag or horse kept for rough riding.
280
Old pink: a red hunting-coat.
281
Lodge: a gentleman's house.
282
Wainscoted: lined with boards or panels.
283
Bagmen: commercial travellers.
284
Trencher: a large wooden plate.
285
Rashers: thin slices of bacon.
286
Way-bill: a list of passengers in a public vehicle.
287
Tap: bar-room.
288
Pinks: huntsmen.
289
High Street: the main street.
290
First-floor: the floor above the ground-floor, – the second story.
291
Burgess: a citizen or voter in a town.
292
Van: a large light-covered wagon.
293
Nor: than.
294
Regulator: the name of the rival coach.
295
Half: the half year.
296
Arter: after.
297
Pig and Whistle: as Oxford lies on the direct road between Rugby and White Horse Vale, Tom would naturally return by this coach.
298
Pea-shooters: tin tubes used by boys for blowing peas at a mark.
299
First-day boys: probably those that went up at the beginning of the term.
300
Act'ly: actually.
301
Tip: here, mark.
302
Rum un: here, a hard blow.
303
Box's head: that is, the head of the "young gent" sitting on the seat ("box") with the driver.
304
Cob: a short, stout horse.
305
Bi'st: "beest," art.
306
County members: members of Parliament.
307
File: a shrewd person.
308
Quoits or bowls: quoits are iron rings pitched at short stakes set in the ground. Bowls are tenpins.
309
Wickets: stakes which are driven into the ground as a mark for the ball in playing cricket.
310
Po-chay: a post-chaise; a hired chaise.
311
Oriel window: a bay-window. The great window over the arch is a striking feature of the Rugby gateway.
312
Lift: assistance of any kind.
313
Quadrangle: a square piece of ground inclosed by buildings. English schools and colleges are quite generally built round a quadrangle or "quod" as it is commonly called.
314
Regulation cat-skin: the hat prescribed by custom or school law.
315
Tile: a tall silk hat.
316
Mentor: a wise counsellor. See Homer's Odyssey.
317
Two seven-and-sixers, etc.:
318
Half-a-sov.: half a sovereign ($2.50).
319
Keep in her good books: keep on good terms with her.
320
Bumptiousness: domineering manner.
321
Cicerone: guide.
322
Form: here, class.
323
Studies: small private rooms occupied by the Rugby boys (two in a room) for study. They are distinct from the bed-rooms.
324
Calling-over: roll-call.
325
Convoy: literally, a merchant-vessel protected by a ship-of-war; here, a person under the care of another.
326
Grimaldi: the name of a race-horse.
327
Steeple-chase: a race between horsemen across country to see which can first reach a certain distant object, as a church steeple.
328
Amy Robsart: the heroine of Scott's Waverley novel, "Kenilworth."
329
Tom Crib: a noted pugilist.
330
Science: boxing or pugilistic science.
331
Windsor Castle: the principal residence of the English monarchs. It is on the Thames, about twenty miles west of London.
332
Præpostors: the members of the sixth form, the highest class in the school. They were charged with the duty of looking after the other boys.
333
Reading: studying.
334
Verger: here, the porter.
335
Pellets: wads of paper.
336
Close: this close or play-ground contains something over thirteen acres.
337
Fives' court: the space set apart for playing fives, a game resembling tennis.
338
Island: the island no longer exists.
339
Fagging: the power given the sixth form, by authority and the custom of the school, to require the boys of the lower forms or classes to do errands, and act as servants generally. The system still has its defenders who regard it as a means of discipline.
340
Foot-ball: foot-ball is the great game at Rugby. It first became popular in America under the Rugby rules, which, though modified, are still the basis of the game as now played.
341
Hacks: kicks on the shins.