to 'em."

But the good-will and sympathy of the boys could not prevail upon
Bradley to go with them. He persisted in his determination to leave
school. And the boys finally went out leaving him alone. Their
influence had been good, however; he was distinctly less bitter after
they left him and his thoughts went back to Miss Wilbur. What would she
think of him if he gave up all his plans the first day, simply because
some mischievous girls and boys had made him absurd? When he thought of
her he felt strong enough to go back, but when he thought of his
tormentors and what he would be obliged to endure from them, he
shivered and shrank back into despondency.

He was still fighting his battle, when a slow step came down the stairs
ending in a sharp rap upon the door. He said, "Come in," and Radbourn,
the most powerful and most popular senior, entered the room. He was a
good deal of an autocrat in the town and in the school, and took
pleasure in exercising his power on behalf of some poor devil like
Bradley Talcott.

"Jennings tells me you're going to give it up," he said, without
preliminary conversation.

Bradley nodded sullenly. "What's the use, anyhow? I might as well. I'm
too old, anyhow."

Radbourn looked at him a moment in silence. "Put on your hat and let's
go outside," he said at length, and there was something in his voice
that Bradley obeyed.

Once on the outside Radbourn took his arm and they walked on up the
street in silence for some distance. It was still, and clear, and
frosty, and the stars burned overhead with many-colored brilliancy.

"Now I know all about it, Talcott, and I know just about how you feel.
But all the same you must go back there to-morrow morning."

"It aint no use talkin', I can't do it."

"Yes, you can. You think you can't, but you can. A man can do anything
if he only thinks he can and tries hard. You can't afford to let a
little thing like that upset your plans. I understand your position
exactly. You're at a disadvantage," he changed his pace suddenly,
stopping Bradley. "Now, Talcott, you're at a disadvantage with that
suit. It makes you look like a gawk, when you're not. You're a stalwart
fellow, and if you'll invest in a new suit of clothes as Jennings did,
it'll make all the difference in the world."

"I can't afford it."

"No, that's a mistake, you can't afford _not_ to have it. A good suit
of clothes will do more to put you on an equality with the boys than
anything