would be serious. Edward looked on with bated breath and wished that Sheldon would shift to the safer method, hand over hand; that in itself for such a distance was hard enough.
But Sheldon did not change; he went springing on indefatigably right up to the top, and when he had reached it the spectators broke out into clapping. He paused there only long enough to turn so that he faced the other inclined ladder; then he leaped towards it, rung by rung, and came down it rapidly in the same fashion. When he dropped to the floor, he turned a handspring on a mattress, came up, and blew a kiss to the admiring and applauding youngsters.
Edward heard Mr. Barclay say to Mr. Elwood, “He’s a wonderful athlete; pity he has n’t any brains.”
Perhaps that was true, thought Edward—yet he wished he were able to do that! And having witnessed such a performance, he was considerably more sympathetic with Sheldon’s casual treatment of the crew candidates. To
