best use possible of the next few years. Then you will, I
hope, be able not only to help your mother, but to give them all a home if
they should need one."

"But I want to help now," said Paul, dolefully. To work harder at school
seemed a very poor way of saving money.

"You will be able to, dear, at once, too. We shall all have to give up
something, many of the things we care for most. You can help by giving up
cheerfully," said his mother.

"Oh, that's nothing," said Paul, still doleful.

"It means more than you can imagine now," she said, softly; "a trouble
bravely born and smiled over is lightened for everyone of half its
weight."

"Can't I give up my music;" Paul burst in on his mother's speech, too
eager to notice what she was saying.

Mrs. Anketell laughed in spite of her sadness. "We are very anxious to
give you all as good an education as is possible, and for the sake of the
future you must not give up any of it yet. No, what we shall have to give
up will be our pleasures. The horses must go, all but Nell for father,
and Jumbo for the hard work. Some of the servants will have to go, too, I
am afraid," she said, looking at her husband, and once more the anxious
look came back to her eyes.

"I can clean boots," said Paul, "and I can wash the dog-cart."

"Very good," said Mr. Anketell, encouragingly. "You can learn to work in
the garden, too. A boy of your age can give a good deal of help there."

Now, if there was one thing more than another that Paul hated, it was
gardening, and his response to this suggestion was not hearty.
Mrs. Anketell was silent for a few moments, then she said with, Paul
thought, but little concern, "We shall have to give up the Norwegian
cruise, of course, John; but that is only a trifle compared with other
things."

Paul's heart seemed to leap right up into his throat, and then sank right
down, down, as, it seemed to him, no one's heart could ever have sunk
before. He could not believe but that there was some mistake, that his
ears were deceiving him. "What did you say, mother?" he cried. "Give up
the Norwegian cruise! Oh, no, no, we couldn't give that up! We _must_ go
to Norway; we can save in other ways--I'll begin at once. I won't want
any new clothes for a year, and I'll go back to school without a hamper,--
but we _must_ go to Norway."

"I see you have already begun to save your neckties," said his father
mischievously; but Paul was far too much upset to