way "it would
derange his business."

"But," urged Jack, "think how much my father deranged his business to
oblige you, and now you rob me of my own money, and of my chance to get
an education."

Mr. Gray was a little ruffled, but he got up and went out of the room.
When Jack looked out of the window a minute later, Gray was riding away
down the road without so much as bidding the troublesome Jack
good-morning.

There was nothing for Jack to do but to return to town and make the best
of it. But all the way back, the tired and discouraged boy felt that
his last chance of becoming an educated man had vanished. He told his
mother about his attempt on Mr. Gray's feelings and of his failure. They
discussed the matter the whole evening, and could see no chance for Jack
to get the education he wanted.

"I mean to die a-trying," said Jack, doggedly, as he went off to bed.

CHAPTER XVI

AN EXPLORING EXPEDITION

The next day but one, there came a letter to Mrs. Dudley that increased
her perplexity.

"Your Aunt Hannah is sick," she said to Jack, "and I must go to take
care of her. I don't know what to do with you."

"I'll go to Port William to school," said Jack. "See if I don't."

"How?" asked his mother. "We don't know a soul on that side of the
river. You couldn't make any arrangement."

"Maybe I can," said Jack. "Bob Holliday used to live on the Indiana
side, opposite Port William. I mean to talk with him."

Bob was setting onions in one of the onion-patches which abounded about
Greenbank, and which were, from March to July, the principal sources of
pocket-money to the boys. Jack thought best to wait until the day's work
was finished. Then he sat, where Greenbank boys were fond of sitting, on
the sloping top-board of a broad fence, and told his friend Bob of his
eager desire to go to Port William.

"I'd like to go, too," said Bob. "This is the last year's schooling I'm
to have."

"Don't you know any house, or any place, where we could keep 'bach'
together?"

"W'y, yes," said Bob; "if you didn't mind rowing across the river every
day, I've got a skiff, and there's the old hewed-log house on the
Indianny side where we used to live. A body might stay as long as he
pleased in that house, I guess. Judge Kane owns it, and he's one of the
best-hearted men in the country."

"It's eight miles down there," said Jack.

"Only seven if you go by water," said Bob. "Let's put out to-morry
morning early. Let's