It has been, I believe, often suggested that the boys at Winchester were not allowed sufficient exercise in the open air. I do not think there was any ground for this complaint as regards the College boys at any rate, who were sent at least three times a week to the top of Hills, besides having Meads close at hand during all play hours. Commoners were not so well off, as they only had one hour on school-days to breathe fresh air, in which time they had to walk half a mile out and back to the indifferent field forming their gymnasium; doubtless they now have access to Meads. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XI. THE JUNIOR ON HILLS. On—Mizmaze—The Badger—Swimming Lessons—Practical Jokes—Trial for Assault—Town and Gown Row. Soon after morning chapel on a Holiday or Remedy all the boys assembled at “Gates”—_i.e._, in seventh chamber passage—each boy choosing a “Socius,” or companion, as in marching “on to Hills” we always walked two and two, College first, and Commoners after. At the word “On” from the Præfect of Hall we started off at a quick pace, the Præfects walking on the road, the rest on the footpath. The former had the privilege of calling “off” an Inferior to walk with them, as they were allowed to range the country; whereas the others were confined to the top of St Catherine’s Hill. On we went, the small College boys at a sharp trot to keep up with the long steps of the bigger ones in front, and urged on by the Commoners behind, round the corner of Warden’s garden, where some boy would duck under the rails, and dart off to Bungy’s for strawberries and cream, or sausages, according to the season, taking his chance of another and very different kind of refreshment if caught in the fact; then over Blackbridge, past “Commoner’s field” and “Domum tree,” over the three stepping-stiles (to be able to jump which, both going and returning, was a great object of ambition to an enterprising Junior) to Tunbridge, where (if names were not to be called at the top of Hills) the Præfects and their “Teejays” went off on their own devices, and the rest up the steep ascent of St Catherine’s Hill. Here the latter amused themselves by playing cricket, rounders, or football, according to the time of the year or state of the weather, plying the “Mousedigger” (a kind of diminutive pickaxe) in search of mice, or threading the intricacies of “Mizmaze,” a labyrinth supposed to have been cut in the turf by the author of “Domum” during the holidays, when he was forced to remain in Winchester instead of going home. The legend further declares that he cut the verses of Domum on the bark of the tree which still bears the name, and then committed suicide. By and by the voices of the three Juniors calling Domum, (two of whom had to make the circuit of “Trench,” and the other cross the summit of Hills,) warned them that it was time to go “on,” when, at a signal from the Præfect of Hall below, we rushed down to