r virtuous things.

There were, however, a few bright incidents, the foremost of which was
the Divinity exam. Claremont, we know, was a parson and a lover of
poetry, and that term the form had been reading Judges and Samuel and
Kings. As the Divinity exam. came first, it would be wise to put the old
man in a good temper. Ruddock introduced Mr ffoakes Jackson's work on
the Old Testament disguised as a writing-pad.

There is nothing easier than to write down correct answers to one-word
questions, if you have the answer-book in front of you. Ruddock's
writing-pad passed slowly round the back and centre benches. Next day
the result was announced.

"Well," said Claremont, "I must own that I was agreeably surprised by
the results of the Divinity papers. The lowest mark was seventy-nine out
of a hundred, and that was Kennedy." (Kennedy was invariably top in the
week's order.) "Ruddock did a really remarkable paper, and scored a
hundred out of a hundred. Johnstone and Caruthers both got ninety-nine,
and several others were in the nineties. In fact, the only ones in the
eighties were those who usually excel. I have taken the form now for
over thirty years, and this is quite unparalleled. I shall ask the
Headmaster if a special prize cannot be given to Johnstone. He certainly
deserves one."

But the Chief was very wise. As he glanced down the mark list he
realised that Johnstone's marks could hardly be due to honest work. But
the Chief was also very tactful. He thought, on the whole, that in case
of such general merit it would be invidious to single any individual out
for special distinction, and, of course, he could not give prizes to
everyone. He would, however, most certainly mention the fact at
prize-giving. When he did, the applause was strangely mingled with
laughter.

But this was only one incident in many dull hours. As a whole, the
week's exam. failed to provide much to look back on afterwards with any
satisfaction. Even the Chemistry exam. fell flat. FitzMorris picked up a
copy of the paper on Jenks's desk and took a copy of it. The marks here
also were above the average.

* * * * *

It is inevitable that the end of the summer term should be overhung with
an atmosphere of sadness. When the new September term opens there are
many faces that will be missing; the giants of yester-year will have
departed; another generation will have taken their places. But for all
that these last day