s grammar is concerned, I take it you are--ah--well grounded,
Edwards?"

"I suppose so. But look at the length of the lesson we have!"

"Yes. Very true. But, of course, to complete a certain amount of work in
the year it is--ah--necessary to do quite a good deal every day. Now
maybe you--ah--haven't been really setting your mind on this. I know in
my own case that I very often find myself--ah--skimping, so to speak; I
mean going over a thing without really getting the--ah--the meat out of
it. I'm almost certain that if you really settled your mind on this,
Edwards, that you'd get along very well with it. Suppose now that you
give twice as much time to it to-night as you usually do. If some other
study must suffer, why, let it be your French and I will let you by
to-morrow if you aren't well prepared. And--ah--I wish when you've been
over this you'd come down and let me--ah--go over it with you lightly. I
think--I think that would be an excellent idea, Edwards."

"Oh, I'll try it," grumbled Steve, "but it isn't any use. And look at
what I've got to translate for him!"

"Yes, yes, I see. Well--ah--bring your book down after awhile and we'll
see what can be done. How are you getting on, Hall?"

"Pretty well, sir. I find it a bit stiff, too, but maybe after awhile
I'll get the hang of it."

"That's the way to talk!" exclaimed the instructor approvingly.
"That--ah--that is the right attitude, Hall. Make up your mind that it
will come and it _will_ come. We all have our--our problems, and the
only way to do is to--ah--face them and ride straight at them. So often,
when we reach them, we find them--ah--we find them so very much more
trivial than we had supposed. They're like--like hills seen from a
distance that look terrifically steep. When we--ah--reach them we find
them easy grades after all. You see what I mean? Yes, yes. Well, I shall
expect you in my study later, Edwards. I want you--both of you, that
is--to realise that I am very eager to be of assistance at any time.
Possibly I can't help very much,--but--ah--I am most willing, boys."

"Silly chump," growled Steve when the door had closed behind Mr. Daley.
"I wish--ah--he'd--ah--mind his own--ah--business!"

But Tom didn't smile. "I think the chap means to be awfully decent,
Steve," he said thoughtfully. "The trouble is, I guess, he's scared to
death of the fellows. You can see that in class."

"He's a regular granny," replied Steve. "Wish he had this stuff to