broad have been just so much
capital. Educational capital, I mean. I've got plenty of the other kind,
for both of us. You don't need to go into the business unless you want
to."

"Being an American, I suppose I've got to go to work at something."

"Not necessarily."

"You don't want me to live on you all my life, though, I suppose."

"Well, I don't want you to want me to want you to," returned the other,
laughing. "But there's no hurry."

"To tell the truth, I'm rather bored with doing nothing. And if I can be
of any use to you in the business--"

"You're ready to resume the partnership," his father concluded the
sentence for him. "That was the foundation of it all; the old days when
I did the 'spieling' and you took in the dollars. How quick your little
hands were! Can you remember it? The smelly smoke of the torches, and
the shadows chasing each other across the crowds below. And to think
what has grown out of it. God, Boyee! It's a miracle," he exulted.

"It isn't very clear in my memory. I used to get pretty sleepy, I
remember," said the son, smiling.

"Poor Boyee! Sometimes I hated the life, for you. But there was nobody
to leave you with; and you were all I had. Anyway, it's turned out well,
hasn't it?"

"That remains to be seen for me, doesn't it? I'm rather at the start of
things."

"Most youngsters would be content with an unlimited allowance, and the
world for a playground."

"One gets tired of playing. _And_ of globe-trotting."

"Good! Do you think you can make Worthington feel like home?"

"How can I tell, sir? I haven't spent two weeks altogether in the place
since I entered college eight years ago."

"Did it ever strike you that I'd carefully planned to keep you away from
here, and that our periods of companionship have all been abroad or at
summer places?"

"Yes."

"You've never spoken of it."

"No."

"Good boy! Now I'll tell you why. I wanted to be absolutely established
before I brought you back here. Not in business, alone. That came long
ago. There have been obstacles, in other ways. They're all overcome.
To-day we come pretty near to being king-pins in this town, you and I,
Hal. Do you feel like a prince entering into his realm?"

"Rather more like a freshman entering college," said the other,
laughing. "It isn't the town, it's the business that I have misgivings
about."

"Misgivings? How's that?" asked the father quickly.

"What I can do in it."

"Oh, that. My doubts a