ave.

"No. The funeral gave him a holiday, and he was glad of it. He's out
of town, too;" and having thus expressed himself, the barber turned to
wait upon a customer who had just come in, and Dave returned to the
sleigh.

"If that's the case, you'll have to let the matter rest until the next
time you come to Coburntown, or else you'll have to write to Mr.
Wecks," said Ben.

"I'll be coming over again before very long," answered Dave. "But,
just the same, I'd like to have this matter settled."

While Dave was speaking to his chum a man passed him on the sidewalk,
looking at him rather fixedly. This man was Mr. Asa Dickley, the
proprietor of the largest gentlemen's furnishing establishment of
which Coburntown boasted. Our hero knew the man fairly well, having
purchased a number of things at his place from time to time, and so he
nodded pleasantly. Mr. Asa Dickley nodded in return, but with a rather
sour expression on his face. Then he glanced at Ben, and at the
handsome sleigh and still more stylish team of horses, and passed on
muttering something to himself.

"Mr. Dickley didn't look very happy," was Dave's comment, as he and
Ben entered the sleigh.

"I don't think he likes my father very much," answered the son of the
real estate dealer. "He wanted to get a piece of property here very
cheap, and my father found another customer for the place at five
hundred dollars more."

"I see, Ben. Just the same, why should he give me such a hard look? Of
course, I haven't been in his place of business for a good while. But
he can't expect me to buy all my furnishing goods from him."

"Well, you know how it is, Dave--when you buy some things from some
storekeepers they think they are entitled to your whole trade.
However, I shouldn't let the matter worry me."

"Not much! I've got other things to think about. Don't forget that I
expect next month to take that examination in civil engineering.
That's what is on my mind just now."

"Oh, you'll pass, don't worry, Dave. Just think of what a brilliant
showing you made at Oak Hall."

"True. But my studies in civil engineering have been a good deal
harder than anything I tackled at school. If it wasn't for Mr.
Ramsdell, the old civil engineer who is coaching Roger and me, I don't
know how I would possibly have gotten along."

"If you pass the examination, what will you do next?"

"Roger and I will go out on some constructive work and thus get a
taste of real engineering.