ould see one or two more I could have done.
However, there was no help for it. The papers must be given up.

"I wish I had had a little more time," I said to Miss Vinton, as I gave
in my work.

"You had as much as the rest," she answered, rather sharply, and I went
away feeling sad and snubbed.

The exams. were over, and we were to know the result next day.

I don't think any of us wanted that extra half hour in bed in the
morning, which generally seemed so desirable; and we were all waiting in
the cloak-room--a chattering throng, for discipline was relaxed on this
occasion. When the school-bell rang, and we hurried in to take our
places, Miss Vinton made us a speech, saying that the general results of
the examinations had been very satisfactory. Our term's work had been on
the whole good.

We could hardly listen to these general remarks when we were longing for
particulars. At last they came:

Alice Thompson was awarded the literature prize. Her work was so very
accurate, and her paper so well written.

There was a silence of astonishment.

Alice turned scarlet. I felt horrified to think what mischief I had done
by being so weak-minded as to let her copy my work. Mabel Smith was
white. But Miss Vinton went on calmly:

"Mabel Smith comes next. Her paper was exceptionally well written, but
there were a few blunders which placed it below Alice's."

Then came Nelly, Joyce, and the rest of the Fifth Form, and one or two
of the Fourth--and I began to get over the shock of Alice's success and
to wonder what had happened to me. At last my name came with just half
marks.

My cheeks were burning. I was dreadfully disappointed and ashamed. Miss
Vinton saw what I was feeling and stopped to explain that the examiner
had not wanted mere bald answers of dates and names, but well-written
essays, showing thought and intelligence. This was how I had failed,
while Alice, cribbing my facts, had worked them out well, and come out
first. I felt very sore about it, and almost forgot the injustice done
to Mabel Smith.

There was still the history prize, and a hush of excited expectation
fell on us when Miss Vinton began again:

"The history prize has been awarded to Nelly Gascoyne for a very good
paper indeed. Margaret and Joyce have been bracketed second. Their
papers were excellent, and only just behind Nelly's in merit."

I gasped with surprise. I had left so many questions unanswered that I
had had no hope of distinction