“I think you are fond of adventures, like the average boy, wherever you find him, if he has any life in him. Now that you have plenty of money you can gratify your tastes, whatever they may prove to be, for heretofore you have had no chance to spread yourself.” “I have had all the excitement I needed, and I have never ceased to enjoy my studies, especially French and German.” “Now, Sir Louis, my boy, I am not an old woman, or a man without any vertebral stiffening. You have always been a good boy; you have faithfully attended to all your duties, and have not been in the least inclined to be a spendthrift. For these reasons I have full confidence in you. But I solemnly warn you, little joker, that if you get to running too fast, if you are in danger of spoiling yourself or letting others spoil you, I shall shut down upon you like an avalanche in money matters, even if I am compelled to invest your unexpended income.” “That’s fair, Uncle Moses; but Don Quixote was a cheap sort of knight-errant, and if I imitate him, I am not likely to follow the career of the Prodigal Son.” “I am willing to pay all reasonable bills approved by your mother, who is your legal guardian. What would be reasonable for a young fellow with seventy thousand a year would not be at all reasonable for one with only ten thousand; so that I shall be liberal with you. Though you inherit your grandfather’s money, you are to a considerable extent the architect of your own fortune, for you unearthed the missing million.” “I think I understand you perfectly, Uncle Moses.” “I should think you might; but understand, above all things, that I have not the remotest idea of permitting myself in any degree to contribute to your ruin or injury by giving you too much money, though you shall have all you can use in a reasonable manner, your mother and myself to be judges of what is proper. As you are aware, I have over a hundred thousand dollars surplus, which can be used for any extraordinary expenditure needed at the beginning of your career?” “What could I possibly want with that?” asked Louis rather blankly. “If you desire to live in a brownstone front on the Fifth Avenue, near your good friend Mr. Woolridge, I should consider that within your means,” replied the trustee with a pleasant smile. “Whew!” exclaimed the young millionaire. “I don’t want anything of that sort. It would be putting me into a cage, like a monkey.” “Prefer adventures, Sir Louis,” added the squire with one of his jelly-like laughs. “I shall be satisfied for the present with a cheap yacht, of good size, handsomely fixed up, with my mother’s parlor on board of her. I have bigger ideas behind this one, but I will not lift the curtain yet. If you don’t want to lecture me any more now, I will go and see Mr. Frinks Fobbington at the hotel; and he is the gentleman who talks yacht with me.”