The incident might have awakened more interest if the Doctor had not returned, bringing a fateful letter. The long-expected letter from Senator Pratt had come. He would be most happy to give Ernest the appointment immediately, if he thought he could pass the mental examinations. An extra examination was to be held on the 30th at Annapolis. He was sending a catalogue and some special literature as to the ground to be covered, by the same mail. He would, however, recommend that Ernest go immediately to some reputable physician and see if he could pass the physical examination. They had a naval surgeon there in Topeka, if he cared to incur the expense of a visit to the Capital. Ernest was so busy poring over the catalogue that he could hardly be induced to stop long enough to eat his supper. "I'm more afraid of the mathematics than anything else. I wonder if I couldn't get Prof. Smith to coach me. I could study all week and go in Saturdays to recite." "The first thing to do is to get that doctor's certificate. We'll go to town to-morrow and have Dr. Hardy look you over, and if he doesn't find anything suspicious, we'll run down to Topeka to see the surgeon and call on the senator at the same time. I think I could go Monday." The entire family held its breath or at least tried to, for the next few days. Mrs. Morton quite forgot how badly she had wanted Ernest to have an education, when she learned that he could only come home once a year, and then only for a short month. She sighed so much and was so distraught, that the family were almost afraid to rejoice with Ernest, when he came home jubilantly waving his physician's certificate. "Never mind, Mother, that surgeon may send me packing. Don't worry till you are sure I'm going. Even if I am vouched for as up to the scratch physically, I may flunk, alas! Wouldn't that be nice after Father had put up a lot of money to send me on? You'd be ashamed of me, Mother, you wouldn't want to see me come home." "I am not expecting you to fail, son," said Dr. Morton, "though I wish we could have arranged matters sooner to give you more time for review. But with the exception of a little extra mathematics, the requirements are certainly no worse than for college entrance exams. And you've tested yourself out twice on those. Aren't you glad I insisted on more geometry?" "He doesn't need to come home if he does fail. He can visit some of our friends in Centerville till college opens. It would only be a few days," Frank consoled him. "However, I am not expecting you to fail, old boy. I have always flattered myself that the Morton family are not lacking in brains, and you know how to study." "I most wish he would fail so he could come to see us. Mother would love to have him spend the Christmas vacations with us," put in Katy naïvely.