ng to get the upper hand in
this bargain; and I know there seems a greater chance of it. But then
I have hopes--I--" The dreamy look, which I have described by the
simile of a haze, gathered and increased on his fair ingenuous young
face, and his eyes quite ignored me for a moment, being fixed on some
imaginary outlook very entrancing to him, until he recalled his
flagging voice, to add: "Well, I don't know that I can put it before
you, but there are possibilities which may make a great difference in
my fortunes within a few years."

I fancied that Vibbard gave me a quick, confidential glance, as much
as to say, "Don't disturb that idea. Let him think so." But the next
moment his features were as inert as ever.

It turned out, on inquiry, that only Vibbard was of age; his friend
being quick in study, had entered college early, and nearly two years
stood between him and his majority; so that, if their contract was to
be binding, they would have to defer it for that length of time. I
was prepared for their disappointment; but Silverthorn, after an
instant's reflection, seemed quite satisfied. As they were going, he
hurried back, leaving his friend out of ear-shot, and explained
himself,--

"You see, Vibbard has an idea that I shall never succeed in
life,--financially, that is,--and so he wants to fasten this agreement
on me, to prevent pride or anything making me back out, you know, by
and by. But I like all the better to have it left just as it is for a
while, so that if we should ever put it on paper he needn't feel that
he had hurried into the thing too rashly."

"I understand," I replied; and I pressed his hand warmly, for his
frankness and genuineness had pleased me.

When they were gone, I pondered several minutes on the novelty and
boyish naivete of the whole proceeding, and found myself a good deal
refreshed by the sincerity of the two young fellows and their fine
confidence in the perfectibility of the future. It seemed to me, the
more I thought of it, that I could hold on to this scheme of theirs as
a help to myself in retaining a healthy freshness of spirit. "At any
rate," I said, "I won't allow myself to go adrift into cynicism as
long as they keep faith with their ideal."

From time to time during the two years, I encountered the friends
casually; and I remember having a fancy that their faces--which of
course altered somewhat, as they matured--were acquiring a kind of
likeness; or, rather, were _exch