"I shall not do that," interrupted Ralph firmly. "Once for all, let that be understood. If I cannot stand a chance without cheating, I will not go in for it."
"Well, then, it is just grinding, that is all."
"Grinding," repeated Ralph, raising his brows. And Warren laughed again.
"Bless your heart! It is refreshing to find any one as innocent as you are. Grinding, my dear fellow, is working, swatting, putting in full time, giving up games and larks and story books, and working on every moment you have got to spare. It is living on mathematics all the time."
"In plain words, it is working hard," laughed Ralph. "And if a thing is worth doing, it is worth working well for——"
"Right you are. Go ahead, and good luck. You are letting yourself in for a nice thing, though; but, I suppose, that if you enter you will stick it out. Best tell Mr. Delermain; it will please him to have you enter. He likes his Form well represented, even though we cannot all win."
Warren was right in that; the master was very pleased when Ralph spoke to him about it.
"I should like to go in for it, sir," the boy said. "I suppose it seems rather absurd; but I could try at least, and the study will not do me any harm."
"Not if it is honest study, Rexworth," replied Mr. Delermain. And those truthful eyes were raised steadily to his own.
"It will not be anything else, sir," Ralph said. "If I cannot do it honestly, I shall not do it at all."