lly or Mr. Rutherford; but I got
first word of it."

"What is it?" asked Jim.

"You're goin' to school; you and Theodore Yorke," said Bill.

"I ain't goin' to no school with Theodore Yorke," interrupted Jim.
"There ain't no school would hold me an' him."

"Yes, you are, if you know what's good for yourself," said Bill; "and
there's some kind of a big prize for whichever comes out best man."

"Then I'll go, if Miss Milly lets me; an' beat him, too, if it was just
for the sake of beatin'," said Jim, verifying the prophecy of his young
mistress. "But how do you know so much, an' what do you mean, Bill?"

"I didn't hear all they was sayin', and I s'pose I wasn't meant to hear
none of it," answered Bill. "It was all the fam'ly folks, 'cept the
children, was talkin'. Mr. Brady sent me to open the front-door when
the bell rang, and it was some flowers for Miss Amy; and, when I went
to the door with 'em, they was all talkin' so busy they didn't hear me
knock. I couldn't make out just what it all was; but you're to get
schoolin', you and Theodore, and whichever does the best is to get more
schoolin', and some prize at the end when the schoolin's done; but Miss
Milly, she didn't want you nor him to know you was fightin' for it,
'cause she didn't think 'twould be good for _you_. She thought you'd be
too set on it, maybe, just to spite Theodore. She knows him and you,
you see."

"Yes, she might ha' knowed I wouldn't let _him_ get the best of me,"
said Jim, viciously. "And you say I wasn't to be let know I was set on
to beat him."

"No, them was Miss Milly's orders; and I take it Mr. Rutherford didn't
like it too much," answered Bill. "He wanted you to know, and be set on
yer mettle. But Miss Milly, she's boss of _us_, you know, and she got
her own way. So, as I say, they ain't goin' to tell you nothin' about
Theodore."

"Then, maybe you oughtn't to ha' told me," said Jim, musingly. "I don't
believe you ought."

"I don't see the harm," said Bill. "I wasn't told not to tell; they
didn't know I heard."

"All the same," said Jim, "you oughtn't to ha' told, when Miss Milly
didn't want me to know. I am glad I do know, so as I can set out to
beat Theodore; and, Bill, this is goin' to give me a first-rate chance.
You see if I don't get to be President, now. An', when I do, you'll see
what'll be done to Theodore Yorke."

"What?" asked Bill.

"I don' know, I've got to think," answered Jim; "but jus' you wait till
I get to b