As Mrs. Borden was to accompany her husband to the station, Walter at once started for Dan’s home. He was highly elated over his father’s decision, though he had been confident that his consent would be granted. It was seldom that Walter met a rebuff in the family in which he was an only child. He stopped a moment on the bridge that spanned the brook and saw Dan coming from the fields to his house. The sight of his friend aroused his enthusiasm once more, and turning into the near-by lot Walter began to run. As he came near, he shouted in his eagerness, “Dan! Dan! Wait a minute! I’ve got something to tell you!” Dan stopped as he heard the call, and in a brief time his friend ran to him. “What’s wrong?” inquired Dan in his quiet way as he became aware of the excitement under which Walter was laboring. “I’ve got some great news for you, Dan,” panted Walter. “For me?” “Yes, sir! For you and me too. You’re going to the Tait School this year. You’re to room with me. You’ll be the pitcher on the nine and the biggest ‘find’ we’ve ever had. Oh, it’s immense, Dan! I just――――” “Hold on a minute,” interrupted Dan. “I’m not very clear what you mean.” “You are to go to the Tait School this year and room with me.” “How am I to go?” “My father is to send you.” “Do you mean he is to pay for me?” “Yes, sir. That’s it exactly. He’s going to send you and you’re to room with me. Why? What’s wrong about that? It’s just as I’m telling you!” exclaimed Walter somewhat aghast as Dan slowly shook his head. CHAPTER XI A REFUSAL “I can’t do it,” said Dan soberly. “Can’t do it!” exclaimed Walter. “You can’t help yourself! You’re going to the Tait School! You’re going to room with me; you’re going to pitch on our nine and――――” “It’s good of you, Walter; but I can’t, that’s all.” “Why can’t you?” “It costs too much. I simply can’t do it. I can go to the normal school――――” “But, man, you aren’t going to pay the bills!” interrupted Walter. “Who will pay them?” “My father.” Dan was silent a moment, looking down at the ground at his feet. When he glanced at his friend again he said, “That’s too much, Walter. It’s too much for your father――――” “You don’t know my father!” broke in Walter impulsively. “He has whole barrels of money. Why, Dan, only last month he cleaned up a cool hundred thousand in a deal――――” “Well, it’s his money, not mine.” “Of course it is, and if he chooses to take one per cent of what he made on that deal and put it into your education, why, that’s his business too, isn’t it?” “Not entirely.” “Whose is it?” “Partly mine.” “No, sir!” declared Walter emphatically. “It’s none of your business! My father has a right to spend his own money just as he wants to, hasn’t he? I’ve heard him say a million times that all money was good for anyway was just to use. Don’t be foolish, Dan.”