at under those circumstances you would do much better
to cut out a frilly education and go to work after you finish your high
school course," observed the magnate deliberately. "Suppose I were to
make you a good business offer? Suppose I were to take over that school
paper of yours at the end of June--"

"What!"

"Wait a moment. Then suppose I took you in here at a good salary and let
you keep on with this _March Hare_ job? Not, of course, in precisely its
present form but along the same general lines. We could make a paying
proposition out of that paper, I am sure of it. It would need a good
deal of improving," continued the great man in a pompous, patronizing
tone, "but there is an idea there that could be developed into something
worth while, unless I am very much mistaken."

"B--u--t--" stammered Paul and then stopped helplessly.

"The thing is not worth much as it now stands," went on Mr. Carter,
puffing rings of smoke airily toward the ceiling, "but in time we could
remodel it into a publication of real merit--make a winner of it."

Paul did not speak.

"How do you like newspaper work?" inquired Mr. Carter, shifting the
subject adroitly.

"Very much--the little I've seen of it."

"If you were to come in here you might work up to a place on the
_Echo_."

The boy started.

"You're a bright chap and I like you. I'd see you had a chance if you
made good."

"You're very kind, sir, but--"

"Well, out with it! What's the matter?"

"It would knock my college career all--"

"Faugh! College career! Why, here is a career worth ten of it--the
chance of a lifetime. I wouldn't offer it to every boy. In fact, I
wouldn't offer it to any other boy I know of--not to my own son."

"It's very good of you, Mr. Carter."

"See here, youngster," said Mr. Carter, leaning toward Paul
impressively, "when you are as old as I am you will learn that you've
got to take opportunities when they come to you. The same one never
comes twice. You don't want to turn down a thing of this sort until
you've considered it from all sides. Think what it would mean to remodel
that paper of yours with plenty of money behind you and put it on a
footing with other professional magazines. That would be a feather in
your cap! I could buy the _March Hare_ in--"

"I'm not sure you could, Mr. Carter," replied Paul slowly. "The staff
might not want to sell it."

"What!"

The tone was incredulous with surprise.

"I don't know that we fellow