hipping interests
are very large, and Mr. Lawrence wants Phil to take hold with him--and
Phil likes that sort of thing. He is planning right now to take
several trips on his father's ships this summer."

"When does that examination of yours come off, Dave?"

"About the middle of next month."

"And if you really pass, are you going to work away down in Texas?"
continued the girl, anxiously.

"If I can get the position,--and if Roger is willing to go along."

"I don't like to have you go so far away;" and Jessie pouted a
little.

"Well, it can't be helped. If I want to be a civil engineer I've got
to take an opening where I can get it. Besides, Mr. Ramsdell thinks it
will be the best kind of training for Roger and me. He knows the men
at the head of the Mentor Company, and will get them to give us every
opportunity to advance ourselves. That, you know, will mean a great
deal."

"Oh, but Texas, Dave! Why, that is thousands of miles away!"

"Not so very many thousands, Jessie," he answered with a little smile.
"The mails run regularly, and I trust you will not forget how to write
letters. Besides that, I don't expect to stay in Texas forever."

"Yes, but when you come back from Texas, you'll be going off to some
other far-away place--South America, or Africa, or the North Pole, or
somewhere," and Jessie pouted again.

"Oh, say, let up! I'm not going to South Africa, or to the North Pole
either. Of course, I may go to Mexico or South America, or to the Far
West. But that won't be so very soon. It will be after I have had
considerable experience in civil engineering, and when I am older than
I am now. And you know what sometimes happens to a fellow when he gets
older?"

"What?"

"He gets married."

"Oh, indeed!" Jessie blushed a little. "And then I suppose he goes off
and leaves his wife behind and forgets all about her."

"Does he? Not so as you can notice it! He takes his wife with
him--that is, provided she will go."

"Oh, the idea!" and now, as Dave looked her steadily in the eyes,
Jessie blushed more than ever.

Where this conversation would have ended it is impossible to say, but
at that moment Laura interrupted the pair, followed by Ben; and then
the talk became general as the four sat down to dinner.

The horses had been put up in a stable connected with the restaurant,
and after the meal it was Dave who went out to get them and bring them
around to the front of the place. He was just driving to