And now he was almost as excited and anxious about the result as either of us two.
Indeed, Jack himself took the whole matter so coolly that it seemed he must either have been perfectly confident of success, or perfectly indifferent to it, and this evening he was doing quite as much to keep up our spirits as we his.
The examination, which was to last two days, was to begin at nine next morning, and Jack had received a gratifying permission from the partners to absent himself for those two days accordingly.
"It will be a pretty hard grind while it lasts," Jack said, "for the examination goes on eight hours each day." "When is the _viva-voce_ portion ?" asked Mr Smith.
"To-morrow.

They begin with it, and I shall be glad when it is over.

I don't mind the writing nearly so much." "Hadn't you better go to bed now," suggested I, "and get a good-night ?" "So I will," said he, "presently.

But I must first write to Mrs Shield." I happened to be looking towards Mr Smith the elder as Jack said this.
He gave a quick involuntary start, which, however, he instantly turned off into a fit of coughing as his eyes met mine.
Mr Smith had had a racking cough ever since I had known him, but I don't think I ever remembered his having a spasm of this kind before.
"The fact is," said Jack, whose back was turned, as he looked for some note-paper on the shelf, "I ought to have written last week, but I was so busy.

And if I put it off any longer they will both think something is wrong." I only heard what he said mechanically, for my eyes were fixed on Mr Smith.
His face had turned deadly white, and the old frightened look about his eyes came out now with startling intensity.