a valuation on them. After that I suppose he'll
offer the miniatures for sale to art galleries and rich collectors."

This was about all Ben could tell concerning the fortune left to his
parent. The young folks talked the matter over for quite a while, and
were presently joined by the older people, including Caspar Potts.

"Miniatures, eh?" said the genial old professor, beaming mildly on
Ben. "Very curious! Very curious indeed! But some of them are
wonderful works of art, and bring very good prices. I remember, when a
young man, attending a sale of art works, and a miniature of one of
the English nobility was knocked down for a very large sum, several
thousand dollars if I remember rightly."

"Well, it's very fine to get hold of a fortune, no matter in what
shape it is," observed Mr. Wadsworth. "Just the same, Ben, I think
your father would prefer to have it in good stocks and bonds," and he
smiled faintly.

"No doubt of that, sir," was the prompt answer. "But, as you say,
miniatures are much better than nothing. In fact, I'd rather take a
fortune in soft soap than not get it at all," and at this remark there
was a general laugh.

"Oh, my gracious, Ben! what would you do with a hundred thousand
dollars' worth of soft soap?" queried Laura, slyly.

"Oh, I'd go around and smooth down all my friends and enemies with
it," the boy returned, and this caused another laugh.

Several more days passed, and during that time Dave and Roger
continued to devote themselves to their studies. Mr. Ramsdell, the old
civil engineer, was on hand to tutor the two youths, and he declared
that they were making satisfactory progress, and that he thought they
would pass the coming examinations without much trouble.

"I wish I felt as confident about it as Mr. Ramsdell does," observed
our hero to his chum one day.

"The same here, Dave," returned Roger. "Every time I think of that
examination I fairly shake in my shoes. Passing at Oak Hall wasn't a
patch to passing as a civil engineer."

There had been another fall of snow, and now sleighing was even better
than before. Jessie and Laura went out in company with their uncle,
and on their return both showed some excitement.

"Oh, Dave--Roger--what do you think!" cried Laura. "I've got a letter
from Belle Endicott, and she is coming on from Star Ranch to spend
several weeks with me, and she is going to bring along one of her old
school chums, Cora Dartmore. What do you think of that? W