ing of a playground. Once, barely
audible, through the air surged and died away the last bars of a
glorious hymn, sung by a chorus of fresh male voices. The whole scene
was one of bustle, work, sport, worship.

A few moments the lad remained where he had halted, drinking through
every thirsting pore; but most of all with his eyes satisfied by the
sight of that venerable building which, morning and night, for over two
years had shaped itself to his imagination--that seat of the
university--that entrance into his future.

Three students came strolling along the path toward him on their way
down town. One was slapping his book against his thigh; one was blowing
a ditty through his nose, like music on a comb; one, in the middle, had
his arms thrown over the shoulders of the others, and was at intervals
using them as crutches. As they were about to pass the lad, who had
stepped a few feet to one side of the path, they wheeled and laughed at
him.

"Hello, preachy!" cried one. His face was round, red, and soft, like
the full moon; the disk was now broken up by smiling creases.

"Can you tell me," inquired the lad, coloring and wondering how it was
already known that he was to be a preacher, "Can you tell me just the
way to the Bible College?"

The one of the three on the right turned to the middle man and repeated
the question gravely:--

"Can you tell me just the way to the Bible College?"

The middle man turned and repeated it gravely to the one on the left:--

"Can you tell me just the way to the Bible College?"

The one on the left seized a passing student:--

"Can you tell us all just the way to the Bible College?"

"Ministers of grace!" he said, "without the angels!" Then turning to
the lad, he continued: "You see this path? Take it! Those steps? Go
straight up those steps. Those doors? Enter! Then, if you don't see the
Bible College, maybe you'll see the janitor--if he is there. But don't
you fear! You may get lost, but you'll never get away!"

The lad knew he was being guyed, but he didn't mind: what hurt him was
that his Bible College should be treated with such levity.

"Thank you," he said pleasantly but proudly.

"Have you matriculated?" one of the three called after him as he
started forward.

David had never heard that word; but he entertained such a respect for
knowledge that he hated to appear unnecessarily ignorant.

"I don't think--I have," he observed vaguely.

The small eyes of the full