"I came in only third."
"Only third? Where did you expect to come in?"
"Why—why, I was hoping I'd get first in the hundred," Will managed to reply.
"You're a modest youth," laughed Wagner, surveying his long legs and laughing in such a manner that Will was compelled to join.
"Well, the fellows rather thought I'd win and that's what makes me feel worse about it."
"They're only freshmen; they don't know any better," laughed Wagner. "Don't let that bother you for a minute. I think you did well myself, and besides, the freshmen very seldom win in the sprints. I don't know that I ever saw one since I've been in college."
"Did you win the hurdles when you were a freshman?""Oh, I just happened to. 'Twas an accident of some kind, I fancy. Yes, I think the soph who was ahead of me tripped and fell, so I crawled in first."
"That will do for you to tell."
"Perhaps I did win. But that's neither here nor there. It isn't what I came for. I didn't want to talk about myself but about you."
Will looked up eagerly but did not speak, though his question was to be seen in the expression of his face.