"Hullo!" said he, as I did so; "you were a jolly long time posting that
letter last night, or else I must have gone to sleep pretty quickly."
"I just looked in to talk to Mr Smith," I said, "on my way back."
"Ah, do you know, I think he's working too hard. He didn't look well
last night."
"He seemed a little out of sorts," I said, "but I'm afraid that's
nothing very unusual. Well, old boy, how do you feel in prospect of
your exam.?"
"Oh, all right," said Jack, complacently. "I suppose I ought to feel in
mortal terror and nervousness and despondency. I believe that's what's
expected of a fellow before an exam. If so, I'm unorthodox. Perhaps
it's a sign I shall be plucked."
"I'm not afraid of that," said I.
"Well, I have a notion I may pull through."
"If you pass," said I, struck with a thought that had not before
occurred to me, "shall you go to college, Jack?"
He laughed at the question.
"I should have to come out first of all," said he, "to get what would
keep me at college. And even so, I'm not cut out for that sort of
life."
"If you mean living by your brains, I say you are."
"Of course you say so. You're always stuffing me up. But, apart from
that, you know there are other reasons why I should not be likely to get
on well at a university."