There was a pause. Then Houghton spoke. "I can't tell you how much this disappoints me, Brainard. The fact is, for years I have tried to shut my eyes to the development of college training. In my time there was not the call for practicality that there is today. Yet it seems to me that the training in our colleges has grown less and less practical. Why do the colleges turn out men who spend their time in personal gossip over sport or trivialities?" "You remember that the King of Spain--or was it Cambodia--puzzled his wise men for a year as to why a fish, when dropped into a full pail of water, didn't make it overflow." "What's that got to do with it?" "Because I must answer as the king did: It's not so--the pail _does_ overflow. They hadn't thought to try it." "You mean that I am wrong." "Yes. Are you sure your gossips were 'college men'?" "Ah!" Houghton made a gesture to his partner, who was about to speak. "Then let us commence at the root of the matter. Mr. Kaufmann and I have often discussed the subject. In this case you are the one who has 'tried it.' Suppose you explain our mistake." "I'd be glad to do that," said Brainard, "because I've heard a lot of that talk." "Well?" "Well--of course when I say 'college man' I mean college graduate." "Why?" "If a kitten crawls into an oven, is it a biscuit?" There was an earnestness that robbed the question of any flippancy. Houghton laughed. "No!" "If a dub goes into college and gets flunked out in a month, is he a college man?" "Hardly." "Oh, but he calls himself one. He goes to Podunk all decorated up in geraniums and the rest of his life is a 'college man.' I'm not talking about him or the man who comes to college to learn to mix cocktails--inside. He may last to the junior year. I'm talking about the graduate--they're only about a tenth of the college. But they're the finished product. Mr. Kaufmann, you wouldn't try to sell gum that had only gone as far as the rolling-room, would you?" "W'at--me?" "Would you?" "No." The junior partner was puzzled. "That's because you want it to go through all the processes. Well, let's talk only about the boy who has gone all the way through the man factory." Houghton nodded. "That's fair." "The trouble is, people don't do that. They persist in butting into the college world, jerking out some sophomore celebration, and saying, 'What use is this silly thing in the real world?'" "Well, aren't they right?" "No. That's just the point. The college world is a mimic world--and your lifetime is just four years. The sophomore celebration is a practical thing there; perhaps it's teaching loyalty--that generally comes first. That's your college rolling-room. But the graduate--he's learned to do _something_ well. I never knew a college man who wasn't at least responsible." "But----"