e at all!
Ishmael has done this on purpose that your son might receive the gold
watch. I am sure of it; but I cannot accept his noble sacrifice! Father,
you would not have me do it."

"No, Walter; no, my boy; not if a kingdom instead of a gold watch were
at stake. You must not profit by his renunciation, if there has been any
renunciation. But are you sure that there has been?"

"I will prove it to your satisfaction, sir. Yesterday, in my great
anxiety to know how my chances stood for the first prize, I asked
Ishmael for a sight of his thesis, and I tendered him a sight of mine.
Ishmael did not refuse me. We exchanged papers and read each other's
compositions. Ishmael's was fairly written, accurate, logical, and very
eloquent. Mine was very inferior in every respect except literal
accuracy. Ishmael must have seen, after comparing the two, that he must
gain the prize. I certainly knew he would; I expressed my conviction
strongly to that effect; and I congratulated him in anticipation of a
certain triumph. But, though I wished him joy, I must have betrayed the
mortification that was in my own heart; for Ishmael insisted that I
should be sure to get the medal myself. And this is the way in which he
has secured the fulfillment of his own prediction: by suppressing his
fair copy that must have taken the prize, and sending up that rough
draft on purpose to lose it in my favor."

"Can this be true?" mused Mr. Middleton.

"You can test its truth for yourself, sir. Call up Ishmael Worth. You
know that he will not speak falsely. Ask him if he has not suppressed
the fair copy and exhibited the rough draft. You have authority over
him, sir. Order him to produce the suppressed copy, that his abilities
may be justly tested," said Walter.

Mr. Middleton dropped his head upon his chest and mused. Meanwhile the
audience were curious and impatient to know what on earth could be going
on around the examiner's table. Those only who were nearest had heard
the words of Walter Middleton when he first got up to disclaim all right
to the gold watch. But after he had gone forward to the table no more
was heard, the conversation being carried on in a confidential tone much
too low to be heard beyond the little circle around the board.

After musing for a few minutes, Mr. Middleton lifted his head and said:

"I will follow your advice, my son." Then, raising his voice, he called
out:

"Ishmael Worth come forward."

Ishmael, who had half