He found as time went on that it was becoming easier to learn his lessons and easier to remember them when learned, and by that time he had taught himself to command over his thoughts, and when he was struggling through a proposition in geometry he wasn't wondering whether he would beat out Sherrard for the position of regular right end on the second before the season was over.

In other words, he had learned concentration.
But all this was not yet.

That first week, in especial, was hard sledding, and that French composition almost drove him to distraction and gave him brain fever before it was done.

But done it was and on time, and, while the best that Mr.Daley would allow it was a C plus, Steve was distinctly proud of it.

And in that week he demonstrated to the instructor's satisfaction that he was up with the class in French.