ch what he studied. The main thing
always remained what Dally said and did in his efforts to bring out
something within the self of each boy for which only he seemed to have
an eye. Keith at times felt as if he would give anything to know what
Dally expected of him in particular. He felt sure that it must be
something wonderful, and he had odd moments of almost being on the verge
of grasping it, but in the end it always eluded him, and no sooner was
he out of Dally's presence than the whole thing seemed very unreal
and foolish.

IX

Young Davidson had a bent toward sarcasm that sometimes lured him out of
his usual cold aloofness. In one of these rare communicative moments he
said of little Loth that he crossed the equator at least once a week and
didn't mind. He referred to the fact that Loth was more frequently moved
than any other pupil but always managed to retain a place near the
centre. And no matter what fate might bring him of ups or downs, Loth
always retained a perfect composure. Yet he was small and nervous and
highstrung like Keith and Bauer. One day Keith asked him how he could
stand being shoved about like that.

"Because my father says I am going into business anyhow," answered Loth,
"and I don't know whether I hate business or books most."

"What would you like to do," asked Keith looking puzzled.

"Draw," said Loth vaguely, "and play the piano, and go to the theatre,
and--yes, and read poetry books that don't teach you anything."

This view of life was so new to Keith that he really tried to become
acquainted with Loth in order to learn more about it. His own
indifference to anything but books promised small success, but in the
end a tie was found in their common love of tin soldiers. So he was
admitted to Loth's particular circle and was even invited to Loth's
home for a birthday party--the first and last of its kind that he
attended during his five years at Old Mary. Before permitted to go, he
was warned that the servant girl would come for him at nine. No amount
of pleading helped to ameliorate that condition.

Loth's father was a prosperous storekeeper on West Long Street and lived
in a spacious and richly furnished apartment above the store. It was a
home like that revealed to Keith through his shortlived friendship with
Harald. The impression on Keith, however, was quite different because of
his own growth since that first year at school. And the actions of the
eight or ten boys who wer