only twelve--his dreams could wait. His was the only face in the group
which remained placid during the moments succeeding Mr. Birch's mention
of the astonishing fact about the income.

The father's observant eyes noted all that his children's looks could
tell him of surprise, disappointment and bewilderment; and of the
succeeding effort they made to rally their forces and show no sign of
dismay.

Lansing made the first effort. "I can drop back a year," he said,
thoughtfully. "Or I--no--merely working my way through this year
wouldn't do. It wouldn't help out at home."

"Why, Lanse!" began Celia, and stopped.

He glanced meaningly at her, and the colour flashed back into her
cheeks. In the next instant she had followed his lead.

"If Lanse can stay out of college, I can, too," she said, with decision.

"If I could get some fairly good position," Lanse proposed, "I ought to
be able to earn enough to--well, we're rather a large family, and our
appetites----"

"I could do something," began Charlotte, eagerly. "I could--I could do
sewing----"

At that there was a general howl, which quite broke the solemnity of the
occasion. "Charlotte--sewing!" they cried.

"Why not take in washing?" urged Lanse.

"Or solicit orders for fancy cooking?"

"Or tutor stupid little boys in languages? Come! Fiddle--stick to your
specialty."

Charlotte's face was a study as she received these hints. They
represented the things she disliked most and could do least well. Yet
they were hardly farther afield than her own suggestion of sewing.
Charlotte's inability with the needle was proverbial.

"What position do you consider yourself eminently fitted for, Mr.
Lansing Birch?" she inquired, with uplifted chin.

"You have me there," her brother returned, good-humouredly. "There's
only one thing I can think of--to go into the locomotive shops.
Mechanics' wages are better than most, and a little practical experience
wouldn't hurt me."

It was his turn to be met with derision. It could hardly be wondered at,
for as he stood before them, John Lansing looked the personification of
fastidiousness, and his face, although it surmounted a strongly
proportioned and well developed body, suggested the mental
characteristics not only of his father, but of certain
great-grandfathers and uncles, who had won their distinction in
intellectual arenas. Even his father seemed a little daunted at this
proposal.

"That's it--laugh!" urged Lanse. "If I