“You are mistaken. You would bully me if I were a small boy and not your superior in strength.” “At any rate, if you are my friend, you ought not to talk of me in that way,” said Philip, thinking it politic to change his tone. “You want me to shut my eyes to your real character, then?” “I don’t want you to talk of me in an insulting manner.” “Not at all, my dear fellow. I said you were a bully, and so you are. I meant no offense. The sons of rich men are sometimes puffed up with the idea of their own importance, and your father is a rich man, at least for a country place.” “He is a rich man for any place,” said Philip, boastfully. “I am glad to hear it, especially as it will make it easier for you to pay me the trifling sum you owe me.” “Trifling sum!” ejaculated Philip. “You said it amounted to over twenty-two dollars.” “So it does; but that is a trifling sum for the son of a very rich man. Some persons would charge you for the little service I have done this afternoon, but that I only did at the bidding of friendship.” “It was very kind of you,” said Philip, uncomfortably; “but you mustn’t think because my father is rich I have plenty of money. The fact is, he is very stingy with me, and if it wasn’t for my mother I would only have a dollar a week.” “It is very considerate of the old man, to be sure. You ought to have five dollars a week.” “So I ought. If I only had I would be able to pay you up in a short time.” “Why don’t you suggest to your paternal relative to enlarge the supplies?” suggested Congreve, knocking off the ashes from his cigar. “I have,” answered Philip, “and he always says that a dollar a week is enough for a boy of my age.” “Parents are apt to have limited ideas on such subjects. That was the case with my father.” “What did you do?” “Do? I borrowed from him.” “How could you do that? Was he willing?” “He didn’t know it.” “Didn’t know that you borrowed money of him?” “No. You are an only child, are you not?” “Yes.” “So am I. You will be sole heir to your father’s property, won’t you?” “Of course,” answered Philip, with an air of consequence. “Then, really, the property may be considered yours now—at least in part.” “I suppose so.” “That’s the way I look at it. Well, I happened to know where my father kept his government bonds, and I borrowed one.” “Wasn’t that stealing?” asked Philip. “It would have been if the bond had belonged to a stranger, but, as it was likely to be mine some day, of course, that made it different.” “What did your father say?” asked Philip, anxiously. “Oh, he made a fuss; but the bond wasn’t registered, and he hadn’t a memorandum of the number, so he couldn’t do anything. I sold it through a friend, and while the money lasted I was in clover.” “My father has got some government bonds,” said Philip; “but I shouldn’t dare to take one, although, as you say, they will be mine some day.”