st of
all, go to him, and ask his advice. He is a business man, and he may be
able to put me in the way of obtaining a position."

"I think you will succeed, Frank, but it will be harder than you think
for. You don't know what poverty is yet. I have never known anything
else."

"If I do succeed, Herbert, I may be able to find something for you."

"I wish you might," Herbert replied; but he was not as sanguine as
Frank.

He understood, better than his friend, that for a boy to set out alone
into the great world to earn a living is a serious undertaking.

CHAPTER XIV

GOOD-BYE

Frank had fixed upon the Tuesday morning succeeding the close of the
academic term for his departure from home. Monday was devoted to a few
necessary preparations and a few calls on old friends, among them Col.
Vincent, the owner of Ajax.

"My dear Frank," said the colonel, kindly, "I feel a strong interest in
your welfare, more especially because of the wrong which I do not
scruple to say has been done you. What does Mr. Manning say to your
plan?"

"He makes no objection," said Frank.

"Suppose he had done so?"

"I would not have run away. He is my stepfather and guardian, and I
would have endured staying at home as well as I could."

"There you are right, Frank. Though I have a poor opinion of Mr.
Manning, he is not likely to treat you in a manner to justify your going
away without his permission. From what I have heard within the last
week, I suspect that he feels relieved to have you go."

"What have you heard, sir?"

"That Mr. Manning will shortly sail for Europe, taking Mark with him."

Frank was surprised, having no suspicion of this.

"Now are you not sorry that you have decided to go out into the world to
earn a living when you might have seen something of the Old World?"

"Mr. Manning would never have taken me along," answered Frank, quietly,
"nor should I have enjoyed traveling with him and Mark."

"Of the two, who would interfere the more with your enjoyment?"

"Mark."

"Then you prefer the father to the son?" said the colonel.

"The father has much more agreeable manners. I don't think Mark could be
agreeable if he tried."

Col. Vincent smiled.

"Perhaps you are right, Frank," he said. "Now, as your father's old
friend, I shall exact a promise from you."

"What is it, sir?"

"You are going out into the world to earn your own living. Boys of your
age are apt to think it an easy thing. I have see