ere great fun.
Mrs. Wyeth could chaperon them, of course.

Mary said she was afraid she would be too busy to accept. As a matter
of fact, knowing what she did of his mother's feelings, she would have
accepted no invitations from Sam Keith even if nothing else prevented
her doing so.

"My studies take a good deal of my time," she said.

Sam laughed. "You'll get over that," he declared. "I studied like blue
blazes my freshman year, but after that--I should worry. Say, I'm
mighty glad I came over here today. I'm coming again. I'll be a regular
boarder."

The young men said good-by at the Wyeth door. Mrs. Wyeth did not ask
them in, although the persistent Samuel threw out some pointed hints.

Crawford Smith and Mary shook hands.

"I've had an awfully good time," declared the former. Then, turning to
Mrs. Wyeth, he asked: "May I call occasionally?"

Mrs. Wyeth's answer was, as usual, frank and unmistakable.

"Yes," she said. "I shall be very glad to see you--occasionally."

Crawford turned to Mary.

"May I?" he asked.

Mary scarcely knew how to reply. There was no real reason why he should
not call; she liked him so far. His frankness and earnestness of purpose
appealed to her. And yet she was not at all sure that it was wise to
continue the acquaintance. In her mind this coming to Boston to school
was a very serious matter. Her uncles had sent her there to study; they
needed her at home, but that need they had sacrificed in order that
she might study and improve. Nothing else, friendships or good times or
anything, must interfere with the purpose with which she had accepted
the sacrifice.

So she hesitated.

"May I?" repeated Crawford.

"Why, I don't know. I imagine I shall be very busy most of the time."

"That's all right. If you're busy you can send word for me to vamoose.
That will be part of the bargain. Good-by."

Mrs. Wyeth's first remark, after entering, was concerning Sam's friend.

"I rather like that young person," she said. "Samuel idolizes him, of
course, but Samuel would worship a hyena if it played football. But this
Smith boy"--in Mrs. Wyeth's mind any male under thirty was a boy--"seems
to have some common sense and a mind of his own. I don't approve of his
name nor the howling wilderness he comes from, but he can't help those
drawbacks, I suppose. However, if he is to call here we must know
something about him. I shall make inquiries."

CHAPTER XII

The school term ended on