test of the resolution came within the next twenty-four hours.
As the pupils formed in line for the afternoon, he fingered a dime in
his pocket repeatedly, for the coin represented the investment for his
first newspaper venture. In the school yard Silvey darted up to him.

"Oh, John-e-e-e!"

"Yes," said John, not greatly enthusiastic over the hail.

"It's open practice at the university today. Red and me are going. It'll
be the biggest game, next Saturday, and, Jiminy, you ought to watch the
quarter-back kick! Come along?"

John shook his head regretfully. Too well he knew the joys which awaited
them within the big enclosure with its towering bleachers. Hadn't he
haunted the gate for just such opportunities, last year? Hadn't Bill and
he discovered a hole in the fence and laid plans to see one of the early
games by its aid? And hadn't an unfeeling freshman emptied a bucket of
water as he had crawled half through the opening? But the dime in his
pocket was a reminder of last week's procrastinating failure.

"Can't," said he finally.

"Why?"

"Got to work--sell papers."

Silvey stared, scarcely believing his ears. John scuffed the school walk
with one sadly abused shoe.

"You see," he went on reflectively, "I've got to have a thousand dollars
by the time I'm twenty-one."

"What for?"

"Get married."

"That girl again!" Bill ejaculated scornfully. "Aw, come on, Johnny.
Just once won't hurt."

"No," retorted John firmly. "I've got to act like a man now. I haven't
any more time for kid foolishness!"

"Kid foolishness!" repeated Silvey in awe-struck tones, as his chum
turned and walked rapidly away, "kid foolishness! Gee!"

As for John, he was finding hidden sweets in the new vocation. Never had
Silvey's eyes held such astounded respect as they had at that moment.

Shultz lived in a brown brick, ramshackle tenement diagonally opposite
the apartments in which the gang had found shelter that day of the
cucumber fight. Once, the flats had been advertised as being the utmost
in modern conveniences, but that had been in the days when the park
museum was glorified as an exposition building. Since then, a long
succession of tenants had scented the dark, badly lighted corridors with
a variety of garlicky odors, and the rentals had been lowered until only
the most necessary repairs could be afforded to keep the building in
order. So there the block stood, making a tawdry front with small, and
often-remodeled store