rnor gone, Phelps? Hope he left a good-sized check with you! I've
come over to be the first to help you get rid of it."

"What's the trouble?" inquired Will quietly, glancing up as he spoke.
"Your money all gone? Want to borrow some?"

"I'm always ready for that," laughed Mott, "though I'll have to own up
that I've got a few cents on hand yet. No, I don't know that I want to
borrow any; but I thought you might want a little help in getting rid of
that check, and I'd just run over to oblige you. Just pure missionary
work, you see." Mott seated himself in the large easy-chair and
endeavored to appear at his ease, though to Will it still seemed as if
there was something which still troubled his visitor.

"I haven't any special check."

"That's all right. My 'old man' never has been up to see me since I
entered Winthrop, but as I look around at the fellows whose fathers and
mothers have been up, I've noticed that they're usually pretty flush
right after the old gentleman departs."

"Hasn't your mother ever been up?" inquired Will in surprise.

"No. Why should she? She hasn't any time to bother with me. She's on
more than forty boards, and is on the 'go' all the time. She has to
attend all sorts of 'mothers' meetings' too, and I believe she has a
lecture also, which she gives."

"A lecture?"

"Yes. She has a lecture on 'The proper method of bringing up boys.' How
do you suppose she ever has any time to visit me?" Mott laughed as if
the matter was one of supreme indifference to him, but Will fancied that
he could detect a feeling of bitterness beneath it all. For himself, the
condition described by the sophomore seemed to him to be incredible. His
own relations with his father had been of the frankest and most friendly
nature. Indeed, it never occurred to him in a time of trouble or
perplexity that there was any one else to whom he so naturally could go
as to his own father. Since he had entered Winthrop, however, he had
discovered several who were not unlike Mott in their feelings toward
their own families; and as Mott spoke he almost unconsciously found a
feeling of sympathy arising in his heart for him. Some of his apparently
reckless deeds could be explained now.

"Mott, you must go home with me next vacation," he said impulsively.

"That's good of you, but it's too far off to promise. Say, Phelps,
what's become of that man Friday of yours?"

"Who's he?"

"Schenck."

"Oh, he's flourishing."

"He's the fr