you mind if I bunk on? I've something I must do before the bell
goes."

Alan shook his head.

To Abercrombie and the other immortals Michael came up quickly and
breathlessly.

"I say, you chaps, I'm sorry I made such an ass of myself yesterday; I
felt chippy over that friend of mine being killed."

"That's all right, old bangabout," said Abercrombie cordially, and the
chorus guffawed their forgiveness. They did more. They called him
'Bangs' thereafter, commemorating, as schoolboys use, with an
affectionate nickname their esteem.

The next day a letter came for Michael from Mrs. Ross, and impressed
with all the clarity of writing much of what he had dimly reached out
for in his friendship with Alan. He read the letter first hurriedly on
his way to school in the morning; but he read it a second and third time
along those serene and intimate streets where he and Alan had walked the
day before.

COBBLE PLACE,

_March, 1900_.

_My dearest Michael,_

_You and Alan are the only people to whom I can bear to write
to-day. I am grieving most for my young son, because he will have
to grow up without his father's splendid example always before him.
I won't write of my own sorrow. I could not._

_My husband, as you know, was very devoted to you and Alan, and he
had been quite worried (and so had I) that you and he seemed to
have grown away from one another. It was a moment of true delight
to him, when he read a long letter from dear old Alan describing
his gladness at playing football again with you. Alan expresses
himself much less eloquently than you do, but he is as deeply fond
of you as I know you are of him. His letters are full of you and
your cleverness and popularity; and I pray that all your lives you
will pull together for the good. Kenneth used always to admire you
both so much for your ability to 'cope with a situation.' He was
shot, as you know, leading his men (who adored him) into action.
Ah, how I wish he could lead his own little son into action. You
and Alan will have that responsibility now._

_It is sweet of you to thank me for being so 'stunning' to you. It
wasn't very difficult. But you know how high my hopes have always
been and always will be for you, and I know that you will never
disappoint me. There may come times which with your restless,
sensitive temperament you wil