Yes, Tommy was intoxicated, but with a beverage not recognized by the
faculty. What happened was this: Supper being finished, the time had
come for what Shovel called the jawing, and the boys were now mustered
in the body of the hall. The limited audience had gone to the gallery,
and unluckily all eyes except Shovel's were turned to the platform.
Shovel was apprehensive about Tommy, who was not exactly sobbing now;
but strange, uncontrollable sounds not unlike the winding up of a clock
proceeded from his throat; his face had flushed; there was a purposeful
look in his usually unreadable eye; his fingers were fidgeting on the
board in front of him, and he seemed to keep his seat with difficulty.

The personage who was to address the boys sat on the platform with
clergymen, members of committee, and some ladies, one of them Tommy's
patroness. Her ladyship saw Tommy and smiled to him, but obtained no
response. She had taken a front seat, a choice that she must have
regretted presently.

The chairman rose and announced that the. Rev. Mr. ----would open the
proceedings with prayer. The Rev. Mr. ---- rose to pray in a loud voice
for the waifs in the body of the hall. At the same moment rose Tommy,
and began to pray in a squeaky voice for the people on the platform.

He had many Biblical phrases, mostly picked up in Thrums Street, and
what he said was distinctly heard in the stillness, the clergyman being
suddenly bereft of speech. "Oh," he cried, "look down on them ones
there, for, oh, they are unworthy of Thy mercy, and, oh, the worst
sinner is her ladyship, her sitting there so brazen in the black frock
with yellow stripes, and the worse I said I were the better pleased were
she. Oh, make her think shame for tempting of a poor boy, for getting