No such luck. I came home with a dozen plans for work
simmering in my brain; but I must put them back and let them parboil
themselves for a while longer. My family are demanding my whole
attention."

"What now?"

"Sisterly confidences. It is funny, Billy; but it is rather distracting
to my work. Allyn took me to walk, this morning, and told me the tragic
tale of his first love affair. It was Lois Hawes, and it ended most
unromantically. He helped her to get ready for the prize speaking, last
month, and then she took the prize away from him and neglected to mention
that he had coached her. Now he rages at the whole race of girls and
says he won't finish his term of dancing school."

"That is unwise of him," Mr. Farrington commented, "Did you bring him to
a better way of thinking?"

"I wrestled with him; but he was still proclaiming that 'girls aren't any
good,' so I beat a retreat."

"He needs a girl to bring him up, as you brought me," Billy remarked.

"There aren't many who would dare attack Allyn," Theodora said, laughing.
"I had you at my mercy; you couldn't escape. Allyn can fight and run
away; that makes him doubly dangerous. He does fight, too. He is a dear
boy, Billy; but I honestly think that, if he goes on, he won't have a
friend left in town. He is a veritable porcupine, and his quills are
always rising."

"He has the worst of it. But I do wish you needn't worry about him, Ted"

"I don't really worry; only I wish more people knew the other side of the
boy. But now prepare yourself for a shock. It is Babe, this time. She is
going to study medicine."

"What!"

"Yes. She came home for that."

"Phebe a doctor! She is about as well fitted for it as for a--plumber."

"So I think; but to hear her talk about it, one would think her whole aim
in life was wholesale surgery. She appears to revel in grim details of
arteries and ligaments. The fact is, she is restless and wants some
occupation, and this seems to appeal to her."

"I believe I know how she feels. I went through something the same
experience, my last year in college," Billy said thoughtfully. "It is a
species of mental growing pains; one wants to do something, without
knowing just what. I don't believe Babe will ever write M.D. after her
name, and I devoutly hope she won't kill too many people in trying for
it; but the study will be good for her. She has played long enough, and a
little steady grind will help her to work off some of her extra