Page:The fighting scrub, (IA fightingscrub00barb).pdf/219

 he did make helpful suggestions when Tom faltered, and he did suggest numerous changes in spelling. It was close to five o'clock when the minimum of five hundred words was finally attained—with one word to spare, according to Tom's sixth count—and Tom hurried across to West and delivered the result to Mr. Wyatt. "Alick" glanced briefly at the three pages. Then:

"Did you have any help on this?" he asked.

"Yes, sir. If I hadn't I'd never have got it written!"

"How much help, Kemble, and from whom?"

"Loring Deane, sir. I wrote it all myself. He didn't tell me what to say, but he kept after me until I'd done it, and he sort of suggested things to—to write about."

"In your opinion then, it represents your efforts, and not Deane's?"

"Yes, sir! And, Mr. Wyatt, it was some effort!"

"Alick's" customary gravity cracked just a little. "Well, all right, my boy. I'll let you be the judge. Now see if you can't come to class a lot better prepared than you have been. And about that paragraph structure business, Kemble. When do you want to make up on that? This evening all right for you?"

"Oh, gosh, Mr. Wyatt! Give me another day, won't you? I haven't had time to study that at all, sir!"

"If you'd kept up with the course, Kemble, you wouldn't have to study it now. Isn't that so?"

"Yes, sir," agreed Tom sadly.