Jessie was not prepared for this view of the question.
'I am so sorry,' she said doubtfully. 'I never once thought of its happening till Dr. Lomax's letter came; for you know, Cecil, you told me you meant to work. Oh! don't you remember saying it here, in this very place, when you were making the new bars to Lop-ear's hutch?'
'Well, and I did,' said Cecil gruffly.
'Yes, I know you did; and that made me think you would do it.'
'Well, so I did do it—that's what I mean' said he more gruffly still.
'Did work!' exclaimed she gladly, and quite ready of belief, with the tender trustfulness of a true sister. 'But oh, then, Cecil how was it that they didn't give you marks enough? I thought you would have lots to spare—I did indeed!'
'Humbug!' said Cecil, but not gruffly now; 'it's not so easy to get marks as all that. I was quite sure of having enough, though—so sure that I hadn't a second thought about it; and I can't tell to this moment how it was I didn't, except that Lomax is such a brute!'
'The Doctor!'
'No—his son, the junior master; it was he who counted up the marks.'
'Do you mean the marks you got at the examination?'