And Mr. Wayne listened with deepest interest. He had meant to take a sleeper as soon as they left the Junction, but changed his purpose, and sat by the boy through all the hours of the night. Ready for words when Magnus roused up to speak them; and when the young eyes closed, and the young head sought intervals of rest against the hard, swaying back of the seat, then studying the boy with a face from which the laugh had vanished, and a grave, almost solemn, look came up to take its place. "Good blood," so he muttered to himself, as he noted the clear skin and pure colour, "and well brought up"--for unmistakable lines of truth and intelligence marked the face. "Warm-hearted--almost--as a woman, and wilful enough for two! What will he do at West Point? and what will West Point do to him?" The grave eyes were shielded, and from the kindly heart went up that longing petition of the Lord himself: "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." So the night wore on, with alternate snatches of talk and sleep, until the early dawn of the June day came swiftly up over the outside world. "To-night I shall be at West Point," said Magnus, as the two new-made friends went back to their car after breakfast. "Ordered to report to-day?" "No, sir, not until Friday." "Where will you stay to-night?" "Oh, I cannot tell," said Magnus. "I don't know anybody nor anything at West Point. Oh, I suppose I'll find some place!" "'Some place' is not always a good place. You had better stay in town with me to-night, and take an early morning train up river." "Do you live in town, sir?" "Not I! But I shall be there to-night." Hotels and hotel bills were as yet unknown things to Magnus Kindred, and he entered into this plan with great alacrity; nor ever guessed, till he went home on furlough and put up at the same hotel, how large a part of his fare that night was paid by Mr. Wayne himself. It was very late when the train ran into the big city, at least according to the standard at Barren Heights, but those weird old hands on the church steeples of New York count nothing "late" until it is two o'clock in the morning, and so in truth early once more. Magnus felt quite sure that the rumble and roar would not let him sleep a wink, but after he had once closed his eyes, they never opened again until broad daylight.