Just then the doors were opened and the boys trooped into their places. While waiting for the papers to be given out he recalled the sum in question, and soon found what a ridiculous mess he had made of it.
"It's no use," he thought to himself bitterly; "as likely as not I've made as big a hash of the rest."
Once he thought of pleading illness and giving up the struggle. The excuse would not have been without a backing of truth; but, after all, Jim was no coward, and he thrust the idea aside.
"No," muttered he, "I'll see the thing through."
The first subject in the afternoon was history, for which he had always a liking; and when the paper was finished he felt that he had at last done himself justice. Encouraged by this success, he worked away at the others, feeling more and more cheerful at the end of each subject.
"Well," said the examiner, when he came to collect the papers, "are you satisfied?"
"With this afternoon's work, sir," said Jim; "but I'm afraid I lost my chance this morning."
"Oh, you mustn't worry about that. 'Never despair!'—that's the motto, you know!" And the gentleman gave him a good-natured smile as he passed to the next desk.
Outside, the boys clustered together, comparing notes and talking over their doings. Some smiled complacently, others looked rather miserable as they discovered their mistakes.
"The algebra paper was a teaser," remarked Temple, "and as for the last equation, I couldn't do it at all.'