your father has
written you that I advise you to follow his instructions. He isn't a man
to say it unless he means it.--I'll gladly help you out while you're
getting adjusted."

"Thank you, Mr. Huntington, but perhaps I won't need it. Even cut in two
my allowance is bigger than most of the boys'."

"Fathers are so inconsiderate," Billy yawned; "very few of them
understand their sons."

"A paraphrase of the old saw, Billy," Huntington commented. "To-day we
would say that it is a wise stock which knows its own par."

"Or a wise corn which knows its own popper," laughed Billy.

"Or a wise beast which knows its own fodder," Philip added,--"now we're
all even!"

"Speaking of fodder," Billy said, showing renewed signs of life, "let's
go down to the Copley-Plaza and get something to eat."

"After the dinner you ate?" Huntington demanded.

"That was over two hours ago, and I'm as hollow as a tin can. Come on,
Phil."

"You can't be serious, Billy," insisted Huntington.

"I sure am. Whenever I get a real square feed I have a pain, and
to-night I've felt perfectly comfortable."

"All right, go on if you feel that way," his uncle replied. "Take him
away, Phil, and let him stuff himself until he has a pain! I'll let you
know when Hamlen arrives, and then I'll count on you to help me out.

"Better include me," Billy insisted.

"The next time I ask you to dine with me, young man, I'll thank you to
get filled up at the hotel first!"

* * * * *

XXIV

* * * * *

The Stevenses, brother and sister, lived together in the old family
mansion in Washington Square. The income from the property left behind
by the elder members of the family would have been ample if Richard had
contributed even a modest amount as a result of his daily exertion; but
as exertion had never proved one of Ricky's strong points, except in
opposition to his sister's efforts to bully him into business, Edith was
forced to practise many economies to make the divided sum serve her
requirements.

"If you ever showed half the ability after you got into business that
you do in keeping out of it, you'd make a howling success," she told
him; yet in spite of her perennial resentment she made many personal
sacrifices to enable her brother to lead his aimless existence. They
were a curious combination of selfishness and generosity, each going to
extremes in both. Each criticised the oth