need to be assured of your
willingness. But I am sorry that you should be compelled to give up
your vacation and maybe your schooling."

"Giving up schooling will not be necessary. I can study in the
evenings. I am wondering what I can find to do."

"I know so little about such things, Randy, that we must consult
someone who is better qualified to give advice in the matter--your
Uncle Peter, for instance."

At this Randy gave a sigh.

"I don't know Uncle Peter. He never comes here."

"That is true," answered Mrs. Thompson, with some hesitation. "But you
know he is a business man and has a great deal to attend to. Besides,
he has married a lady who is exceedingly fashionable, and I suppose he
does not care to bring her to visit such unfashionable folks as we
are."

"Then," said Randy, indignantly, "I don't want to trouble him with any
of my applications. If he doesn't think us good enough to visit we
won't force ourselves upon him."

"My dear boy, you are too excitable. It may be that it is only his
business engagements that have kept him away from us. Besides, you can
go to him only for advice; it is quite different from asking
assistance."

Mother and son discussed the situation for fully an hour and at last,
in the absence of other plans, it was decided that Randy should go to
his uncle the next day and make known his wants. Mr. Thompson was told,
early in the morning, and said Randy could do as he thought best.

"But don't expect too much from your Uncle Peter," said the sick man.

Peter Thompson was an elder brother to Randy's father. Early in life he
had entered a counting room and ever since had been engaged in
mercantile pursuits. At the age of twenty-eight he had married a
dashing lady, who was more noted for her fashionable pretensions than
for any attractive qualities of the heart. She was now at the head of a
very showy establishment, far more pretentious than that over which
Mrs. Bangs presided. She knew little about her husband's relations and
cared still less.

The town of Riverport was twenty miles distant from Deep Haven, where
Peter Thompson resided with his family. A boat ran daily between these
places and several others, but Randy did not wish to spend the
necessary fare, and so borrowed a bicycle from Jack and made the trip
by way of the river road, a safe if not very comfortable highway.

Randy had been to Deep Haven several times in years gone by, but,
strange as it may seem, had ne