The whole school were gathered for the usual morning prayers, the masters each at the head of his class; and when the reading was over, the doctor, instead of dismissing them to their classes as usual, still stood at his desk, and the boys looked up eagerly. Was it a holiday, or a challenge from some neighbouring school to a football match?
Alas, for such hopes! It was neither the one nor the other. It was something which only interested a very few of the most industrious there.
"The Newlet gold medal examination for mathematics will be held in a month's time from now; and it will be needful for intending competitors to hand in their names to their masters at once. I trust that the school will be well represented at the examination. We lost the medal last year, though we had a very good average; but the year before that, Kesterway, who was then only in the Fourth, gained it. That debars him from again trying for it; but I hope that others will enter the field, and do as well as he did. The second and third boys gain silver medals. That is all. Dismiss to your classes."
"I say, Dobby, there is a chance for you to distinguish yourself," whispered one boy in the lazy one's ear, as the Fourth trooped away. And Dobson glared, for of all things, mathematics was his weak point.
"Dobson cannot do it," laughed Warren, overhearing the words. "His system of mathematics is erratic. When it comes to eating tarts at some one else's expense, it is wonderful how many he can take without counting them up; but if he has to treat—well, one multiplies itself into twenty."
"You shut up," growled Dobson. "I never had tarts at your expense."
"No, my son, and you never will," laughed Warren. "Hurry up and take your place. You know where it is—top wrong end."
Mr. Delermain entered, and the class settled down to work; but Ralph found himself pondering over that prize which was offered. True, figures were not his strongest point; but then he had a great belief that any one who sets his mind to a thing can manage to do it in time, and, somehow, he felt that it would be very nice to take that medal home and show it to Irene.
So when recess was called, he managed to get hold of Warren and question him about it.
"The Newlet," explained the monitor. "Well, it certainly is rather stiff. I suppose that I must go in for it, though I don't think I shall stand much chance. There will be Philmore and Standish of the Fifth; I don't know if Elgert will try for it. He thinks no end of his mathematics, but if you ask me, I think that a crib has a good deal to do with it."