s,
lay before him as a reality, and he decided that it was up to him to
make the most of those years and to make a success of life. No doubt
this realization fell upon him as a shock, as it does upon most lads
whose parents have supplied their every need. Now he was called upon
to decide the matter for himself, and his future education was to be
guided by his choice.

At various periods of his youthful career nearly every boy has an
ambition to be an Indian fighter, or a pirate, or a locomotive
engineer, or a fireman and save people from burning buildings at the
risk of his own life, or to be a hunter of ferocious wild animals.
Grenfell had dreamed of a romantic and adventurous career. Now he
realized that these ambitions must give place to a sedate profession
that would earn him a living and in which he would be contented.

All of his people had been literary workers, educators, clergymen, or
officers in the army or navy. There was Charles Kingsley and "Westward
Ho." There was Sir Richard Grenvil, immortalized by Tennyson in "The
Revenge." There was his own dear grandfather who was a master at Rugby
under the great Arnold, whom everybody knows through "Tom Brown at
Rugby."

It was the wish of some of his friends and family that he become a
clergyman. This did not in the least suit his tastes, and he
immediately decided that whatever profession he might choose, it would
_not_ be the ministry. The ministry was distasteful to him as a
profession, and he had no desire or intention to follow in the
footsteps of his ancestors. He wished to be original, and to blaze a
new trail for himself.

Grenfell was exceedingly fond of the family physician, and one day he
went to him to discuss his problem. This physician had a large
practice. He kept several horses to take him about the country
visiting his patients, and in his daily rounds he traveled many miles.
This was appealing to one who had lived so much out of doors as
Grenfell had. As a doctor he, too, could drive about the country
visiting patients. He could enjoy the sunshine and feel the drive of
rain and wind in his face. He rebelled at the thought of engaging in
any profession that would rob him of the open sky. But he also
demanded that the profession he should choose should be one of
creative work. This would be necessary if his life were to be happy
and successful.

Observing the old doctor jogging along the country roads visiting his
far-scattered patients, it