"Hum! It's a foolish idea," again snorted Uncle Ezra. "You'll live to see the day you'll both be sorry for it." "I hope not, Ezra." "Well, you will." "We'll not discuss that now. Will you have a cigar before dinner?" "I never smoke. It's a dangerous and expensive habit." "Slightly dangerous, perhaps, but I smoke very little. As for the expense, I think I can afford it. This has been quite a prosperous year for me--and Dick." "What you spend for cigars would pay the interest on a large loan," went on Mr. Larabee. "Yes, but I don't need the loan," declared Mr. Hamilton with a smile, "and I do feel that I need a cigar to rest me after my day's work. However, I don't advocate tobacco for young men, and Dick has promised not to smoke until he is of age, and that will not be for a few years yet." "Stuff and nonsense!" exclaimed Uncle Ezra, as he could thing of nothing else to say. "Perhaps you'd like a glass of lemonade before dinner," suggested Dick. "No," replied the austere man. "I don't think I'll stop for dinner. My visit here has resulted in no good, and the sooner I get back home the better. Besides I've got a new hired man, and I'm almost certain he'll set the barn afire; he's so careless." "Oh, I hope not, Ezra," said Mr. Hamilton. "So do I, but I'd be nervous all night and I wouldn't sleep. Then I might get sick, and have to pay out money for a doctor, or some medicine. No; I'll take the late train home." "But that won't get you there until after midnight." "That's all right. It'll be cooler then, and there won't be so much danger of overheating the horse. When you overheat a horse you sometimes have to buy medicine for him, and horse medicine is expensive." Seeing that his brother-in-law could not be prevailed upon to remain, Mr. Hamilton bade him good-bye, and Dick offered to take his uncle to the depot in the auto, but Mr. Larabee would not hear of it. He would walk, he said, and save the car fare. "He's a queer man--your uncle," said Mr. Hamilton that night. "I guess you wouldn't fancy staying with him; eh Dick?" "No, indeed, dad. A military academy for mine, as Bricktop would say." Dick was up early the next morning, when both he and his father were to go away from home, each for a considerable time. The servants had been provided for, and the handsome Hamilton mansion would be closed for several months. Dick accompanied his father to the bank after breakfast, and planned to go to the depot from there, some of his chums having arranged to meet him at the station. "Ah, good morning, gentlemen!" exclaimed a pompous voice, as Dick and his father entered the institution, and the young millionaire saw "Hank" Darby, ready to greet them. "I understand you are about to become a soldier," he went on to Dick. "Well, a sort of one," replied our hero.