might have had a little more fight left in them?” he asked.

“At times, maybe, but it seems as if it had got to he a habit with me,” responded Sheldon gloomily. “I know that you fellows must have been thinking I was a mighty poor crew captain; but I’d come back this term meaning to stick to my job and show you I was n’t a mistake—and somehow I never thought of being tripped up by those examinations.”

“I guess we would all have known you were n’t a mistake,” said Edward.

“But I was! A captain that has to quit his crew!—Well, I did n’t mean to get you up here just to cry on your shoulder. I wanted to do the last thing I can as captain: I wanted to have a little talk with every fellow that’s sure of a place in the St. Timothy’s boat. You’re one.”

“You really think so?”

“Of course. Mr. Burns has you picked all right. There will be you and Davis and Durant and Cochrane and Quinby; you five are sure. I hope you’ll elect Durant captain. He