to make up for. Well, I can't. I can't make them up to--to whom I
would. It's struck me that, as I couldn't, I might be a little decent
to somebody else, perhaps--if I could manage it! I never have been
particularly decent to poor old Aunt Fanny."

"Oh, I don't know: I shouldn't say that. A little youthful teasing--I
doubt if she's minded so much. She felt your father's death
terrifically, of course, but it seems to me she's had a fairly
comfortable life-up to now--if she was disposed to take it that way."

"But 'up to now' is the important thing," George said. "Now is now--and
you see I can't wait two years to be admitted to the bar and begin to
practice. I've got to start in at something else that pays from the
start, and that's what I've come to you about. I have an idea, you see."

"Well, I'm glad of that!" said old Frank, smiling. "I can't think of
anything just at this minute that pays from the start."

"I only know of one thing, myself."

"What is it?"

George flushed again, but managed to laugh at his own embarrassment. "I
suppose I'm about as ignorant of business as anybody in the world," he
said. "But I've heard they pay very high wages to people in dangerous
trades; I've always heard they did, and I'm sure it must be true. I mean
people that handle touchy chemicals or high explosives--men in dynamite
factories, or who take things of that sort about the country in wagons,
and shoot oil wells. I thought I'd see if you couldn't tell me something
more about it, or else introduce me to someone who could, and then I
thought I'd see if I couldn't get something of the kind to do as soon as
possible. My nerves are good; I'm muscular, and I've got a steady hand;
it seemed to me that this was about the only line of work in the world
that I'm fitted for. I wanted to get started to-day if I could."

Old Frank gave him a long stare. At first this scrutiny was sharply
incredulous; then it was grave; finally it developed into a threat of
overwhelming laughter; a forked vein in his forehead became more visible
and his eyes seemed about to protrude.

But he controlled his impulse; and, rising, took up his hat and
overcoat. "All right," he said. "If you'll promise not to get blown up,
I'll go with you to see if we can find the job." Then, meaning what he
said, but amazed that he did mean it, he added: "You certainly are the
most practical young man I ever met!"

Chapter XXXIII

They found the job. It needed a