dly weapons, they ventured to speak with me, and after
that we got along pretty well."

"How soon do you expect to go to college?"

"A year from next summer. I suppose I shall be ready by that time.
You are going to stay in town, I suppose?"

"Yes, if I keep my place."

"Oh, you'll do that. Then we can see something of each other. You
must come up to my room, and see me. Come almost any evening."

"I should like to. Do you live in Dr. Barton's family?"

"No, I hope not."

"Why not?"

"Oh, the Doctor has a way of looking after the fellows that room in
the house, and of keeping them at work all the time. That wouldn't
suit me. I board at Mrs. Greyson's, at the south-east corner of the
church common. Have you got anything to do this evening?"

"Nothing in particular."

"Then come round and take a look at my den, or sanctum I ought to
call it; as I am talking to a member of the editorial profession."

"Not quite yet," said Harry, smiling.

"Oh, well that'll come in due time. Will you come?"

"Sha'n't I be disturbing you?"

"Not a bit. My Greek lesson is about finished, and that's all I've
got to do this evening. Come round, and we will sit over the fire,
and chat like old friends."

"Thank you, Oscar," said Harry, irresistibly attracted by his bright
and lively acquaintance, "I shall enjoy calling. I have made no
acquaintances yet, and I feel lonely."

"I have got over that," said Oscar. "I am used to being away from
home and don't mind it."

The two boys walked together to Oscar's boarding-place. It was a
large house, of considerable pretension for a village, and Oscar's
room was large and handsomely furnished. But what attracted Harry's
attention was not the furniture, but a collection of over a hundred
books, ranged on shelves at one end of the room. In his father's
house it had always been so difficult to obtain the necessaries of
life that books had necessarily been regarded as superfluities, and
beyond a dozen volumes which Harry had read and re-read, he was
compelled to depend on such as he could borrow. Here again his
privileges were scanty, for most of the neighbors were as poorly
supplied as his father.

"What a fine library you have, Oscar!" he exclaimed.

"I have a few books," said Oscar. "My father filled a couple of
boxes, and sent me. He has a large library."

"This seems a large library to me," said Harry. "My father likes
reading, but he is poor, and cannot aff