t he stood no chance
whatever of winning, and with that conviction all the bright hopes of a
university course, and the prospects of after-success, seemed
extinguished.

Of course it was very ridiculous of him to worry himself into such a
state, but then, reader, he had been working just a little too hard, and
it was hardly his fault if he was ridiculous.

Wraysford, though by no means in high spirits, kept his head a good deal
better, and tried to enjoy his walk and forget all about books, as if
nothing at all was going to happen to-morrow. As for Loman, he was not
visible from morning till night, and a good many guessed, and guessed
correctly, that he was at work, even on Sunday.

The small boys, not so much though, I fear, out of reverence for the day
as for partisanship of the Fifth, were very indignant on the subject,
and held a small full-dress meeting after tea, to protest against one of
the candidates taking such an unfair advantage over the others.

"He ought to be expelled!" exclaimed Paul.

"All very well," said Bramble. "Greenfield senior's cramming too, he's
been in all the afternoon."

"He's not cramming, he's got a headache!" said Stephen.

"Oh, yes, I dare say, don't you, Padger? Got a headache--that's a nice
excuse for copying out of cribs on a Sunday."

"He doesn't use cribs, and I tell you he's not working!" said Stephen,
indignantly.

"Shut up, do you hear, or you'll get turned out, Potboy!"

This was too much for Stephen, who left the assembly in disgust, after
threatening to take an early opportunity on the next day of giving his
adversary "one for himself," a threat which we may as well say at once
here he did not fail to carry out with his wonted energy.

The long Sunday ended at last--a Sunday spoiled to many of the boys of
Saint Dominic's by distracting thoughts and cares--a day which many
impatiently wished over, and which some wished would never give place to
the morrow.

But that morrow came at last, and with it rose Oliver, strengthened and
hopeful once more for the trial that lay before him. He was early at
Wraysford's study, whom he found only just out of bed.

"Look alive, old man. What do you say to a dip in the river before
breakfast? We've got plenty of time, and it will wash off the cobwebs
before the exam."

"All serene," said Wraysford, not very cheerily, though. "Anything's
better than doing nothing."

"Why, Wray, I thought you weren't going to let yourse