my personal servant, my valet! How'd that
strike you, just for a bluff?"

"Strike me fine," responded Critch vigorously. "I'd be willin' to work
my way--"

"Oh, shucks! I didn't mean that. I mean to get your expenses paid that
way, see? After we got going--"

"Come out of it!" interrupted Critch. "You talk as if you was really
going. Where do you reckon my dad comes in? S'pose he'll stand for any
game like that? Not on your life! Dad's figgering on pulling me into the
office when school's out."

Burt left for home greatly sobered by the practical common sense of his
chum. He was quickly enthusiastic over any project and was apt to be
carried away by it, while Critch was just the opposite. None the less,
Burt was determined that if it was possible for him to go, his chum
should go too.

After dinner that evening while the family was sitting in the library,
Mr. Wallace cautiously introduced the subject to Burt's parents. Burt
was upstairs in his own room.

"Etta, isn't that boy of yours getting mighty peaked?"

"I'm afraid so," sighed Mrs. St. John anxiously. "But we can't make him
give up that scholarship. I'll be glad when school is over next week."

"I guess we'll pack him off with Howard," put in Mr. St. John. "I'll
send 'em up the Kennebec on a canoe trip."

"Nonsense!" snorted the explorer. "What the boy needs is something
different. Complete change--ocean air--make him forget all about his
books for six months!"

"There's a good deal in that, Tom," agreed his sister thoughtfully.
"Perhaps if I took him abroad for a month or two--"

"Stop right there!" interrupted the explorer. "Take him abroad, indeed!
Tie him to your apron strings and lead him to bang-up hotels? Dress him
up every day, stuff him on high-class grub? Nonsense! If you want him to
go abroad, for goodness sake give him a flannel shirt and a letter of
credit, and let him go. Don't baby him! Give him a chance to develop his
own resources. Guess you didn't have any indulgent papa, Tom! All the
boy wants is a chance. Why won't you let him have it?"

"Don't be a fool, George!" cautioned his sister, smiling at the
outburst. "You know perfectly well that I don't want my boy running
wild. He's all we have, and we intend to take care of him. And I warn
you right here not to put any of your notions into his head. It's bad
enough to have one famous man in the family!"

The explorer laughed and winked at Mr. St. John, who was enjoying the
discuss