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“Hurrah!” cried the shrill voices, more shrilly still.

“Hurrah?” repeated John. “Weel, hurrah loike men too. Noo then, look out. Hip–hip–hip–hurrah!”

“Hurrah!” cried the voices.

“Hurrah! agean,” said John. “Looder still.”

The boys obeyed.

“Anoother!” said John. “Dinnot be afeared on it Let’s have a good un!”

“Hurrah!”

“Noo then,” said John, “let’s have yan more to end wi’, and then coot off as quick as you loike. Tak’ a good breath noo–Squeers be in jail–the school’s brokken oop–it’s all ower–past and gane–think o’ thot, and let it be a hearty ‘un! Hurrah!”

Such a cheer arose as the walls of Dotheboys Hall had never echoed before, and were destined never to respond to again. When the sound had died away, the school was empty; and of the busy noisy crowd which had peopled it but five minutes before, not one remained.

For some days afterwards, the neighbouring country was overrun with boys, who, the report went, had been secretly furnished by Mr. and Mrs. Browdie, not only with a hearty meal of bread and meat, but with sundry shillings and sixpences to help them on their way.

There were a few timid young children, who, miserable as they had been, and many as were the tears they had shed in the wretched school, still knew no other home, and had formed for it a sort of attachment which made them weep when the bolder spirits fled, and cling to it as a refuge. Of these, some were found crying under hedges and in such places, frightened at the solitude. One had a dead bird in a little cage; he had wandered nearly twenty miles, and when his poor favourite died, lost courage, and lay down beside him. Another was discovered in a yard hard by the school, sleeping with a dog, who bit at those who came to remove him, and licked the sleeping child’s pale face.

They were taken back, and some other stragglers were recovered, but by degrees they were all claimed, and, in course of time, Dotheboys Hall and its last breaking up began to be forgotten by the neighbours, or to be only spoken of as among things that had been.