Hiram had come nearest, and his defeat had broken his mother's heart and almost broken his own.

It was therefore with a sense of prying into hallowed mysteries that he began to investigate his son's college career.
"Well, you know," Arthur proceeded to explain; "there are five grades--A, B, C, D, and E.I aimed for C, but several things came up--interfered--and I--just missed D." "Is C the highest ?" Arthur smiled faintly.

"Well--not in one sense.

It's what's called the gentleman's grade.

All the fellows that are the right sort are in it--or in D." "And what did _you_ get ?" "I got E.That means I have to try again." Hiram began to understand.