Bert shrugged. “We aren’t supposed to, except by special arrangement. But most every fellow has things charged here in the village or over in Needham. Of course you’re supposed to settle at the end of term, and I meant to, but I was hard up and couldn’t. This Shylock bothered me all summer with bills and letters and things and I told him I’d pay when I got back. Well, I tried to, but dad got angry and said I was spending too much money and I’d have to get along on my allowance. And he told mother not to let me have it. So it’s a rotten outlook. Of course, if I can’t pay him right now, I can’t, and that’s all there is to it. Only if he _should_ go to Charlie I’d get fired as quick as a wink.” “That’s too bad,” said Hugh sympathetically. “We’ll simply have to dig up the money somewhere. Toss me that block, will you? And your pencil? Thanks. Now, let’s see. ‘Please send six pounds’――no, ‘thirty dollars――――’” Hugh nibbled the pencil reflectively. “I’ve got about six dollars, though, so I’ll just ask for twenty-five. Thirty’s enough, old chap? You’re certain?” “Yes, but I don’t believe you’d better, Hugh. I don’t know, after all, when I can pay it back. Maybe not until Christmas. I always get some extra money then. I guess Fallow and Turner will wait.” “But there’d be no hurry about paying it back, Bert,” the other protested. “And my mother won’t mind sending it the least bit. I haven’t asked for any extra tin for a long time. You just sit tight, old dear, and leave it to me. ‘Please send twenty-five dollars at once. Important. Well. Love.’ That ought to do it. I say, though, maybe I’d better ask mother to telegraph it, eh? Then she’d surely get it here by Monday. Unless, that is, this doesn’t get to her in time. You see, she went away to make some visits the other day. She ought to be in Philadelphia tomorrow, but if she stayed over in New York――I fancy I’ll send a couple of these just to be on the safe side. Bound to fetch her that way, what?” “It’s awfully decent of you,” said Bert gratefully. “Hope I’ll be able to do as much for you some day.” “I hope you won’t need to,” laughed Hugh. “How do I get these off? I can telephone, can’t I?” “Yes, and they’ll charge it to the school and you can settle with the office. I ought to offer to pay them myself, Hugh, but I’m just about strapped. You could add it to the rest, though.” “Oh, rot! I’ll nip down and get them off now. If mother gets one of these tomorrow morning we might hear by afternoon, eh?” When Hugh got back Bert was whistling merrily in his room. “They said they’d get them off right away,” Hugh announced from the doorway. “So that’s all right, eh?” “Yes,” replied Bert. “And I hope―――― Well, anyway, I’m awfully much obliged, Hugh. To tell the truth I’ve been scared to death for a week for fear Fallow would turn up here at school.” “Well, it won’t matter if he does now,” responded Hugh cheerfully. “Is――is that what’s been bothering you lately, old chap?”