This was the view held by many of the Deanery boys, who were very sore that the scholarship had gone to St. Paul’s. Thus the subject of the tragedy was brought to the front again, and during the interval at morning school Jim could not help overhearing some of the remarks. Angry and miserable, he went to a corner of the playground, where Dick followed him. "Look here, Jim," said the Angel cheerily; "don’t mope about the ’Gayton.’ We’ve all seen the list, of course, and I’m awfully sorry you aren’t in it. It’s too ridiculous putting me above you. I know that, and so do the others. It’s like turning you out of the eleven to put Simpson in; but buck up, old chap—you’ll soon get over it." "I wasn’t thinking about you, Dicky," replied his chum. "I’m jolly glad you’re high up." "What are you looking so miserable about, then?" "Oh, hang it all!" cried Jim excitedly; "can’t you hear what the fellows are saying? They look at me as black as thunder!" "Let ’em," rejoined the Angel serenely; "that won’t hurt you." "Oh," said Jim, jerking himself away savagely, "it’s easy for you to talk! I wish the place was at the bottom of the sea!" "I don’t!" replied Dick. "My mac’s worn out, and I shan’t get another this side of Christmas. Here’s Macdonald coming; don’t eat him." "I say, Hartland," began Alec, who was as red as a turkey-cock, "I’m awfully sorry you didn’t get the ’Gayton.’ I know from what the Angel has said that you’ve had jolly hard lines." "Thanks!" growled Jim. "But I wonder you aren’t afraid to be seen speaking to me." "I wish you didn’t feel so cut up about it," returned Macdonald, ignoring Jim’s surliness. "You’re looking at it through magnifying glasses." Unfortunately Jim did feel _cut up_, and by continual brooding made himself more and more miserable. From this time, I fear, he began to go slowly down hill, and the only gleam of good feeling he displayed was with regard to his mother and Susie. "I’m very sorry, my boy," said his mother, when he told her; "and yet I shall never think of this scholarship without feeling proud of you. I know you had a good chance of winning it, and threw it away for the sake of helping me." "No, no, mother," cried the boy cheerfully; "you mustn’t look at it that way. I mightn’t have won the scholarship at all; and anyhow, I couldn’t have accepted it." On Sunday, when at the hospital, he talked to Susie much in the same way, making light of his disappointment so successfully that the girl was quite deceived. At school, however, he was very different, becoming surly and morose, and making enemies of the boys who would willingly have remained his friends. Mr. Broad, too, noticed his altered manner; but knowing the circumstances, he said nothing, thinking the trouble would soon blow over; besides, Jim did not neglect his work. He was always punctual, and had such a quick grasp of his duties that he saved his employer a great deal of labour.