"But I must get to work, Lucy. I cannot afford to be idle." "Never mind, Louis; we will get along somehow." "How much did that specialist charge?" "Fifty dollars?" "And what was Doctor Case's bill?" "Ten dollars." "Sixty dollars! And we had only ninety dollars in the bank! That leaves us only thirty dollars." To this Mrs. Thompson did not answer. She had used up nearly ten dollars for medicines, but did not wish to worry her suffering husband by mentioning it. "If I don't go to work we'll all starve to death!" continued Louis Thompson. "We'll manage somehow," answered the wife, bravely. Nevertheless, she was much discouraged, and that evening, when her husband was asleep, she and Randy talked the matter over as they sat on the porch in the darkness. "Mother," said Randy, earnestly, "I don't want you to feel troubled. You have labored so long for me that it is now my turn. I only want something to do." "My dear child," said the mother, "I do not need to be assured of your willingness. But I am sorry that you should be compelled to give up your vacation and maybe your schooling." "Giving up schooling will not be necessary. I can study in the evenings. I am wondering what I can find to do." "I know so little about such things, Randy, that we must consult someone who is better qualified to give advice in the matter--your Uncle Peter, for instance." At this Randy gave a sigh. "I don't know Uncle Peter. He never comes here." "That is true," answered Mrs. Thompson, with some hesitation. "But you know he is a business man and has a great deal to attend to. Besides, he has married a lady who is exceedingly fashionable, and I suppose he does not care to bring her to visit such unfashionable folks as we are." "Then," said Randy, indignantly, "I don't want to trouble him with any of my applications. If he doesn't think us good enough to visit we won't force ourselves upon him." "My dear boy, you are too excitable. It may be that it is only his business engagements that have kept him away from us. Besides, you can go to him only for advice; it is quite different from asking assistance." Mother and son discussed the situation for fully an hour and at last, in the absence of other plans, it was decided that Randy should go to his uncle the next day and make known his wants. Mr. Thompson was told, early in the morning, and said Randy could do as he thought best. "But don't expect too much from your Uncle Peter," said the sick man. Peter Thompson was an elder brother to Randy's father. Early in life he had entered a counting room and ever since had been engaged in mercantile pursuits. At the age of twenty-eight he had married a dashing lady, who was more noted for her fashionable pretensions than for any attractive qualities of the heart. She was now at the head of a very showy establishment, far more pretentious than that over which Mrs. Bangs presided. She knew little about her husband's relations and cared still less.