Phillips was now confident that he should carry off the scalp of the fourth school-master before the evening was over.

He spelled eagerly, confidently, brilliantly.

Stoop-shouldered as he was, he began to straighten up.

In the minds of all the company the odds were in his favor.

He saw this, and became ambitious to distinguish himself by spelling without giving the matter any thought.
Ralph always believed that he would have been speedily defeated by Phillips had it not been for two thoughts which braced him.