The examinations were all finished Wednesday, and Ralph was confident he had passed, and therefore was exultant. But late that afternoon he received a telegram as follows:
“Your father has been seriously injured in an accident. But little hope. Come home at once.”
This was signed by his father’s friend, Mr. Spencer.
In anguish of grief and fear Ralph left by the next train; and late the next night was in Toledo but only to see the dear father in his coffin. The boy’s grief was pitiable. He felt he would never be comforted. The funeral was held two days later, and then the saddened young man returned to Annapolis. There was no question in his mind but what he had been completely successful in his examinations.
Upon his return, which was Monday, he immediately went into the Academy grounds and there met a young man, dressed in civilian’s clothes with uniform cap. He recognized him as a candidate he had known in the preparatory school, Bollup by name.
“Hello, Bollup,” said Ralph. “I see you’ve passed all right. I knew you would, in spite of the way you used to talk.”
“Thanks, Osborn,” returned Bollup. “I’m awfully sorry you didn’t get through. I hope you’ll get another appointment next year. That nine-tenths in math of yours was certainly a big surprise to me, and to you, too, I guess; you thought you had done so well in it.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Ralph, hastily. “I’m sure I passed in everything, but I couldn’t wait to see the marks; I had to go to my father’s funeral in Toledo.” And Ralph’s eyes filled with tears. “What do you mean about my nine-tenths in mathematics? Surely that wasn’t my mark; why, that’s utterly ridiculous.”
“Look here, old fellow,” said Bollup, uneasily, “I don’t want to be the one to spread bad news, but on the bulletin-board in main quarters, you are credited with having made nine-tenths only in math, and are marked as having been rejected for that reason by the Academic Board of the Academy.”
“My heavens,” ejaculated Ralph, thunderstruck at this information. “Look here, Bollup, there’s a mistake about that. I’ll bet I got over three-fifty on that math exam. Nine-tenths? Why that’s simply preposterous. Let’s look at that bulletin.”