st college at Camford, supplied the majority of
the candidates, and Julian, Owen, and Kennedy were all three mentioned
as likely to be first; but the rival ranks of Saint Margaret's boasted
their champions also, and almost every small college nursed some prodigy
of its own, for which it vehemently predicted an easy and indisputable
success.

Owen was the competitor whom Julian most really feared; educated at
Roslyn, a comparatively small school, his scholarship was not so ready
and polished as that acquired by the training of Marlby and Harton, but,
on the other hand, he had improved greatly in the short time he had been
at Saint Werner's, and besides his sound knowledge he had a
strong-headed common sense, and a clearness and steadiness of purpose,
more valuable than a quick fancy and refined taste. In composition, and
in all the lighter and more graceful requirements of a classical
examination, Julian had an undoubted superiority, but Owen was his
equal, if not his master, in the power of unravelling intricacies and
understanding logic; and, besides this, Owen was a better mathematician,
and, although classics had considerable preponderance, yet one
mathematical paper always formed part of the Clerkland examination.
Kennedy who, if he had properly employed his time, would have been no
mean rival to either of them, had unfortunately been so idle, and
continued to be so gay and idle even for the weeks immediately preceding
the examination, that they all felt his chance to be gone. He
acknowledged the fact himself, with something between a laugh and sigh,
and only threatening to catch them both up in the classical tripos, he
resigned all hope for himself, and threw all his wishes into the scale
of Julian's endeavours. And although Owen was liked and respected,
there was no doubt that Julian was regarded throughout the University as
the popular candidate; the Hartonians especially, who had carried off
the prize for several years, were confident that he would win them
another victory.

As the time drew near, Julian became more and more feverish with
eagerness, and his friends feared that he would hinder, by over reading,
his real probability of success. Kennedy felt this most strongly, but
being himself engaged in the competition, was afraid that any attempt to
divert Julian's thoughts would not have a disinterested look. Lillyston
and De Vayne, unrestrained by such motives, did all they could to take
him from his b