her again. The inexorable
circumstance of Scaife's superiority at games had separated the boys,
but only for a brief season. Desmond would become a "Blood" soon, and
then it would be John's turn to be "dropped." Being a philosopher, our
hero did not worry too much over the future, but made the most of the
present, with a grateful and joyous heart. In his humility, he was
unable to measure his influence on Desmond. In athletic pursuits an
inferior, in all intellectual attainments he was pulling far ahead of
his friend. The artful Warde had a word to say, which gave John food
for thought.

"You can never equal your friend at cricket or footer, Verney. If you
wish to score, it is time to play your own game."

Shortly after this, John realized that Warde had read Caesar aright.
Charles Desmond's son, as has been said, acclaimed quality wherever he
met it. John's intellectual advance amazed and then fascinated him.
When John discovered this, he worked harder. Warde smiled. John ran
second for the Prize Poem. He had genuine feeling for Nature, but he
lacked as yet the technical ability to display it. A more practised
versifier won the prize; but John's taste for history and literature
secured him the Bourchier, not without a struggle which whetted to
keenness every faculty he possessed. More, to his delight, he realized
that his enthusiasm was contagious. Caesar entered eagerly into his
friend's competitions; struggle and strife appealed to the Irishman.
He talked over John's themes, read his verses, and predicted triumphs.
Warde told John that Caesar Desmond might have stuck in the First
Fifth, had it not been for this quickening of the clay. The days
succeeded each other swiftly and smoothly. Warde was seen to smile
more than ever during this term. Certain big fellows who opposed him
were leaving or had already left. Bohun, now Head of the House, was a
sturdy, straightforward monitor, not a famous athlete, but able to hold
his own in any field of endeavour. Just before the Christmas holidays,
Warde discovered, to his horror, that the drainage at the Manor was out
of order. At great expense a new and perfect system was laid down. At
last Warde told himself his house might be pronounced sanitary within
and without.

When the summer term came, Desmond joined John in the Sixth Form. They
were entitled to single rooms, but they asked and obtained permission
to remain in No. 7. Desmond was invested with