He had been happier far last term when, under old Wyndham, he had exerted himself loyally for the good of the school.

Was he not exerting himself now?
Why should he be unhappy?
It was not because he felt himself beaten--he scorned the idea--or that he felt unequal to the task before him.

That too was preposterous.

And yet, he felt, he certainly needed something.

If only now he were first classic as well as captain of the clubs, what a pull he would have! And as this thought occurred to him, he also recalled Crossfield's famous speech at the last Parliament and the laughter which had greeted it.