get through the exam all right; you know you always do," protested
Van Blake as he flipped a scrap of blotting paper across the study
table at his roommate.

Bob Carlton looked up from his book. "Perhaps you're right, Van," he
replied, "but you see I can't be too sure on this stuff. Math isn't
my strong point, and I simply must not fall down on it; if I should
flunk it would break my father all up."

"You flunk! I'd like to see you doing it." Van smiled derisively.
"When you fall down on an exam the rest of us better give up. You
know perfectly well you'll get by. You are always worrying your head
off when there's no earthly need of it. Now look at me. If there is
any worrying to be done I'm the one that ought to be doing it. Do I
look fussed? You don't catch your uncle losing any sleep over his
exams--and yet I generally manage to scrape along, too."

"I know you do--you old eel!" Bob glanced admiringly at his friend.
"I believe you just wriggle by on the strength of your grin."

"Well, if you are such a believer in a grin why don't you cultivate
one yourself and see how far it will carry you?" chuckled Van. "The
trouble with you, Bobbie, is your conscience; you ought to be
operated on for it. Why are you so afraid you won't get good marks
all the time?"

"I'm not afraid; but I'd be ashamed if I didn't," was the serious
reply. "I promised my father that if he'd let me come to Colversham
to school I'd do my best, and I mean to. It costs a pile of money
for him to send me here, and it's only decent of me to hold up my