Tom Brown's School Days for the favourite in a horse race, Tom is deliberately burned in front of a fire. Tom and East defeat Flashman with the help of Diggs, a kind, comical, older boy. In their triumph they become unruly. In the second half of the book, Dr Thomas Arnold (1795–1842), the historical headmaster of the school at the time, gives Tom the care of George Arthur, a frail, pious, academically brilliant, gauche, and sensitive new boy. A fight that Tom gets into to protect Arthur, and Arthur's nearly dying of fever, are described in loving detail. Tom and Arthur help each other
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (musical) and Tom’s half-brother, Sid, is happy. Frustrated, Tom plans to run away (Here’s My Plan). As Tom procrastinates, he meets a beautiful newcomer, Becky Thatcher and they are mutually attracted. The town's outcast and Tom's best friend Huckleberry Finn appears, and arranges for the two of them to meet at the local graveyard that night so that Huck can "cure his warts." Huck remarks that painting the fence looks like fun, and Tom then swindles his friends into painting the fence for him after having them trade their valuables. ("Smart Like That"). That night, Tom and Huck visit the local