Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Anne Folland, Ted Garvin and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by Al Haines. [Illustration: "Sugar it is, then!"] The Story of Sugar BY SARA WARE BASSETT Author of "The Story of Lumber" "The Story of Wool" "The Story of Leather" "The Story of Glass" ILLUSTRATED BY C. P. GRAY _To my cousin_ _William Pittman Huxley_ _this book is affectionately inscribed_ It gives me much pleasure to acknowledge the courtesy of the American Sugar Refining Company, and also the kindness of Senator Truman G. Palmer, of Washington, D. C. S. W. B. CONTENTS I. COLVERSHAM II. A NARROW ESCAPE III. SUGARING OFF IV. THE REFINERY V. VAN SPRINGS A SURPRISE VI. A FAMILY TANGLE VII. MR. CARLTON MAKES A WAGER AND WINS VIII. VAN MUTINIES IX. VAN'S GREAT DEED X. HOW VAN BORE HIS PUNISHMENT XI. THE BOYS MAKE A NEW ACQUAINTANCE XII. THE DAWN OF A NEW YEAR Illustrations "SUGAR IT IS, THEN!" "I DON'T REMEMBER THAT BIG ROCK" "I SHOULD THINK IT WOULD STICK TOGETHER" "IT IS NO EASY TASK" NO HORN HAD GIVEN WARNING "THESE TANKS ARE CONNECTED" THE STORY OF SUGAR CHAPTER I COLVERSHAM "Oh, say, Bobbie, quit that algebra and come on out! You've stuck at it a full hour already. What's the use of cramming any more? You'll get through the exam all right; you know you always do," protested Van Blake as he flipped a scrap of blotting paper across the study table at his roommate. Bob Carlton looked up from his book. "Perhaps you're right, Van," he replied, "but you see I can't be too sure on this stuff. Math isn't my strong point, and I simply must not fall down on it; if I should flunk it would break my father all up." "You flunk! I'd like to see you doing it." Van smiled derisively. "When you fall down on an exam the rest of us better give up. You know perfectly well you'll get by. You are always worrying your head off when there's no earthly need of it. Now look at me. If there is any worrying to be done I'm the one that ought to be doing it. Do I look fussed? You don't catch your uncle losing any sleep over his exams--and yet I generally manage to scrape along, too." "I know you do--you old eel!" Bob glanced admiringly at his friend. "I believe you just wriggle by on the strength of your grin." "Well, if you are such a believer in a grin why don't you cultivate one yourself and see how far it will carry you?" chuckled Van. "The trouble with you, Bobbie, is your conscience; you ought to be operated on for it. Why are you so afraid you won't get good marks all the time?" "I'm not afraid; but I'd be ashamed if I didn't," was the serious reply. "I promised my father that if he'd let me come to Colversham to school I'd do my best, and I mean to. It costs a pile of money for him to send me here, and it's only decent of me to hold up my end of the bargain." Van Cortlandt Blake stretched his arms and gazed thoughtfully down at the ruler he was twirling in his fingers.