Meanwhile Roy and Rex settled down to their school life. The change made in Rex by his New York experience was quite noticeable. While retaining all his dignity of manner, he was more thoughtful of the feelings of others than he had been. He worried a good deal at first about the opinion Scott Bowman must have of him, and truth to tell Scott did feel a little sore over the way he had been treated. The two boys did not write or see each other till they met accidentally in the street at Christmas time. Rex saw Scott coming and grew red in spite of himself. There was a chance, he felt, that the other might go by without speaking to him. But Scott halted and put out his hand. “Hello, Rex,” he said, “you _are_ a stranger.” And at these words a great burden was lifted from Reginald’s mind. The truth of the matter was, it was very difficult to keep at odds with a fellow with the fascinating personality of Rex Pell, and now since the recent change in him he was more attractive than ever. He took Scott home to lunch with him, and related in detail his adventures on his memorable trip. “Where the fun in being ‘tough’ comes in,” he concluded, “I don’t see.” At Christmas time Mrs. Pell had Mrs. Raynor and Florence in for a visit. “Has Miles heard from Jimmy Morrisey yet?” Rex inquired. “No,” Florence replied. “He didn’t write till about three weeks ago.” “You’ll let him come in and see us New Year’s, won’t you?” Rex went on. “Yes indeed, if you would like to have him.” Miles came for New Year’s and brought the information that he had heard from Jimmy Morrisey at last. He was a hall boy in a New York hotel, and said that as near as he could remember the name he had heard his father mention that night in his talk with his mother was Darley. Rex wrote the name down on a piece of paper and put it away to show to Sydney on his return from his Florida trip, for his health had been growing steadily poorer and Mrs. Pell had persuaded him finally to go South with a friend for a while. “You know he isn’t really my own brother,” Rex confided to Miles. “But he’s a distant relative. His father and mother died when he was very little.” Miles was much interested on hearing this. It served in some way to establish another bond between himself and the Pells. “I’ll let you know what Syd finds out about this as soon as he finds out anything,” Rex told Miles at parting. Miles had begun to attend school. He had not had an opportunity to study since leaving the Morriseys. He was naturally quick, and made good progress. “He’ll know too much by spring to be put to garden work again,” Mrs. Raynor had said when she was in. “I hardly know what to do with him then.” “Oh, don’t worry about that,” laughed Jess. “By that time he may have found his parents and be a millionaire.”