The Gayton Scholarship

ad not felt well. The shock of her husband's death, and the consequent change in circumstances, had done much to depress her, and the hard struggle to earn a

lly; "you stay in bed. I'll see to th

ried some up to his mother and Susie, straightened t

's illness lasted two-thirds of that time. Mrs. Boden went in as often as she could, and a kindly neighb

one morning. "It will be no good to you if you win it, and

think I was afrai

y think? There's no sense in working

t I'm going in

r, and no mistake," said his ch

ms at the Gayton School, and on the Monday morni

y ill; his head ached, and his brains were all at sixes and sevens. He had worked like a horse all the week to make up for lost time, and was pa

raithwaite!-Morning, Dandy! Why, you look as p

ave a good shot

y!-Hullo, Tem

sked Temple

t is the use of you fellows wasting your time when

s remark with good-humoured laughter; the others tho

just now, Dicky?" aske

seen the geogr

joke?" ask

s little dodge? Why, they fairly

had to write an account of a trip up the Ganges and a visit to Benares. Well, you know there was a horrible plague at Benares just th

't g

bout the blessed old town." And he looked so solemn that

at down?" asked one of

tone of surprise. "They couldn't expec

n, too, about a dead pa

and had a jolly good time, jotting down his descriptions every night. At last he got into the Adriatic, and the poor fellow fell overboard. The skipper fished him out, but he was quite dead; and so, of

you as well as we do, or there would have been no need to ask su

the forthcoming examination, and he waited impatiently for the door to be opened. When Templ

whispered the popular captain of the

ldn't wonder if he breaks down. He's slaved like a

Temple. "It was hard l

se, and entered a large room. Above the door was a card b

tleman standing at a desk. "Each boy will fin

ple at the end. In a short time they were all seated, and the examiner read the rules and regulations. Then his colleague went rou

s were just to his liking, and he felt sure of doing well in the morning at least. Braithwa

tters and figures, all jumbled together, danced wildly before his eyes. At the end of the first half-hour his paper was still blank. Long a

went over, and laying one hand on the boy's

oking up, Jim answered, "My head aches a bit, sir, but

. Time's flying; but

ion on the questions. Once started, he worked feverishly to make up for the lost half-hour;

here was scarcely time for more than a rush home, a hurried m

, much to his surprise, said in quite a f

thanks; how di

stions were jus

the Angel

, "how came you to be do

d? I w

you drawi

of the Uni

e with assumed wonder. "I thou

aid Braithwaite testily,

mbled Tom Moon. "Did anybody do that thing

ghed Temple. "It worked out to

t," said B

his hat. "Well done, Boden, my boy;

ke fire as he remembered that his answer

es. While waiting for the papers to be given out he recalled the sum

lf bitterly; "as likely as not I'v

. The excuse would not have been without a backing of truth; b

e, "I'll see the

e paper was finished he felt that he had at last done himself justice. Encouraged by this suc

when he came to collect the

ir," said Jim; "but I'm afraid

hat's the motto, you know!" And the gentleman gave hi

talking over their doings. Some smiled complacently, other

emarked Temple, "and as for the las

Braithwaite, while Dick admitted with

hot at it, Hartla

unless I misunderstood it." And with pape

of bringing that worthy person into his con

oks right. That will give you a lift

king of the morning's wor

sperse. Jim still seemed very gloomy, and even his lively

o to the shop, ha

to-ni

rt. It's ages since you were down, and the fellows will

nt off whistling merrily. He little guessed what a terrible tr