Page:Hornung - Fathers of Men.djvu/37

 exactly the same look as he had cast into the studies before breakfast. The two had more in common when they compared notes on the various papers.

"I didn't mind the Latin grammar and history," said Jan. "I've had my nose in my grammar for the last six months, and you only had to answer half the history questions."

Jan's spirits seemed quite high.

"But what about the unseen?" asked Carpenter.

"I happened to have done the hardest bit before," said Jan, chuckling consumedly; "and not so long since, either!"

Carpenter looked at him.

"Then it wasn't unseen at all?"

"Not to me."

"You didn't think of saying so on your paper?"

"Not I! It's their look-out, not mine," chuckled Jan.

The other made no comment. It was the long break in the middle of the day, and the pair were on their way back to Heriot's for dinner.

"I wish they'd set us some verses," said Carpenter. "They'd be my best chance."

"Then you're a fool if you take it," put in a good-humoured lout who had joined them in the street.

"But it's the only thing I can do at all decently," explained the ingenuous Carpenter. "I'm a backward sort of ass at most things, but I rather like Latin verses."

"Well, you're another sort of ass if you do your best in any of these piffling papers."

"I see! You mean to make sure of a nice easy form?"

"Rather!"

"There's no fagging over the Upper Fourth, let me tell you, even for us."