At supper-time he saw the Butcher again, and forgot his own loneliness in the concern he felt for his big friend. He remembered that the Butcher had said that if he were expelled he knew what he would do. What had he meant by that? Something terrible. He glanced up at the Butcher, and, being very apprehensive, made bold to ask: "Butcher, I say, what does Cap think?" "He hasn't seen the Doctor yet," said the Butcher. "He'll see him to-night. I guess I'll go over myself, just to leave a calling-card accordin' to _et_-iquette!" The Big Man kept his own counsel, but when the Butcher, after dinner, disappeared through the awful portal of Foundation House, he sat down in the dark under a distant tree to watch. In a short five minutes the Butcher reappeared, stood a moment undecided on the steps, stooped, picked up a handful of gravel, flung it into the air with a laugh, and started along the circle. "Butcher!" "Hello, who's that!" "It's me, Butcher," said the Big Man, slipping his hand into the other's; "I--I wanted to know." "You aren't going to get sentimental, are you, youngster?" said Stevens, disapprovingly. "Please, Butcher," said the Great Big Man, pleadingly, "don't be cross with me! Is there any hope?" "The Doctor won't see me, young one," said the Butcher, "but the _at_-mosphere was not encouraging." "I'm sorry." "Honest?" "Honest." "You _damn_ little runt!" They went hand in hand over to the chapel, where they chose the back steps and settled down with the great walls at their back and plenty of gravel at their feet to fling aimlessly into the dusky night. "Butcher?" "Well, Big Man!" "What will you do if--if they fire you?" "Oh, lots of things. I'll go hunting for gold somewhere, or strike out for South America or Africa." "Oh!" The Big Man was immensely relieved; but he added incredulously, "Then you'll give up football and baseball?" "Looks that way." "You won't mind?" "Yes," said the Butcher, suddenly, "I will mind. I'll hate to leave the old school. I'd like to have one chance more." "Why don't you tell the Doctor that?" "Never! I don't cry out when I'm caught, youngster. I take my punishment." "Yes," said the Big Man, reflecting. "That's right, I suppose; but, then, there's the team to think of, you know." They sat for a long time in silence, broken suddenly by the Butcher's voice, not so gruff as usual. "Say, Big Man--feeling sort of homesick?" No answer. "Just a bit?" Still no answer. The Butcher looked down, and saw the Big Man struggling desperately to hold in the sobs. "Here, none of that, youngster!" he exclaimed in alarm. "Brace up, old man!" "I--I'm all right," said the Great Big Man with difficulty. "It's nothing." The Butcher patted him on the shoulder, and then drew his arm around the little body. The Big Man put his head down and blubbered, just as though he had been a little fellow, while his companion sat perplexed, wondering what to do or say in the strange situation.