“Personal merit hasn’t a show these days, my boy.”
“What pull have you got?” asked David.
Cram put a hand on David’s knee.
“Boy, I have a suitcase stuffed full of credentials. I have enough to paper a room! No need to worry over my chances.”
“That’s fine,” said David heartily. “I will have to depend on school reports, and such things.”
He nodded, and walked away. He was depressed in spite of himself. The cocksure arrogance of Cram was funny, yet it stuck in David’s mind. He was glad to wander into the smoker and talk to Ryan, who greeted him joyfully. He repeated his conversation with Cram.
“Aw, he makes me sick!” scoffed Ryan. “He may make the grade, at that, though. He got to be quite a shark at his books, and he’s had a small plane, so he can talk smooth and easy. Yeah, he may pass. Lots of ways he’s not so bad. My brother Mike likes him.”
“You have a brother?” asked David.
“Six,” said Ryan. “Have you any?”
“Six? Gosh! No; I have two sisters.”