The second act of Tom’s life may now be said to have begun.  The war of independence had been over for some time:  none of the women now—­not even his mother’s maid—­dared offer to help him in dressing or washing.  Between ourselves, he had often at first to run to Benjy in an unfinished state of toilet.  Charity and the rest of them seemed to take a delight in putting impossible buttons and ties in the middle of his back; but he would have gone without nether integuments altogether, sooner than have had recourse to female valeting.  He had a room to himself, and his father gave him sixpence a week pocket-money.  All this he had achieved by Benjy’s advice and assistance.  But now he had conquered another step in life—­the step which all real boys so long to make:  he had got amongst his equals in age and strength, and could measure himself with other boys; he lived with those whose pursuits and wishes and ways were the same in kind as his own.

The little governess who had lately been installed in the house found her work grow wondrously easy, for Tom slaved at his lessons, in order to make sure of his note to the schoolmaster.  So there were very few days in the week in which Tom and the village boys were not playing in their close by three o’clock.  Prisoner’s base, rounders, high-cock-a-lorum, cricket, football—­he was soon initiated into the delights of them all; and though most of the boys were older than himself, he managed to hold his own very well.  He was naturally active and strong, and quick of eye and hand, and had the advantage of light shoes and well-fitting dress, so that in a short time he could run and jump and climb with any of them.

They generally finished their regular games half an hour or so before tea-time, and then began trials of skill and strength in many ways.  Some of them would catch the Shetland pony who was turned out in the field, and get two or three together on his back, and the little rogue, enjoying the fun, would gallop off for fifty yards, and then turn round, or stop short and shoot them on to the turf, and then graze quietly on till he felt another load; others played at peg-top or marbles, while a few of the bigger ones stood up for a bout at wrestling.  Tom at first only looked on at this pastime, but it had peculiar attractions for him, and he could not long keep out of it.  Elbow and collar wrestling, as practised in the western counties, was, next to back-swording, the way to fame for the youth of the Vale; and all the boys knew the rules of it, and were more or less expert.  But Job Rudkin and Harry Winburn were the stars—­the former stiff and sturdy, with legs like small towers; the latter pliant as indiarubber and quick as lightning.  Day after day they stood foot to foot, and offered first one hand and then the other, and grappled and closed, and swayed and strained, till a well-aimed crook of the heel or thrust of the loin took effect, and a fair back-fall ended the matter.  And Tom watched with all his eyes, and first challenged one of the less scientific, and threw him; and so one by one wrestled his way up to the leaders.