"Tom, what have you done?" exclaimed McLaren.

"I have just sent my acceptance to London," and, thinking that perhaps
he had done wrong in bringing the boy, added, "and it was such a
beautiful night, I brought Leon for company."

"But, Tom, why were you so hasty in the matter? Why did you not consult
your friends?"

In the meantime Quintin pushed past them into the office, where Reid, the
operator, sat.

"Reid," asked Quintin, "have you sent Dr. Sparrow's message?"

"No, sir," was the prompt reply, "but two minutes more and it would have
been on the wires; here it is," holding up the yellow paper.

"Hold on, then. It must not go in its present shape."

Reid at once laid the message down on his desk, and turned to other work,
feeling assured that it was all right if Quintin and McLaren were
interrupting its transit. In the meanwhile McLaren had pushed Tom into a
small private room adjoining, and the younger man heard for the first
time that he had been elected to the chair of Greek at the Monastery.
Then heavy steps were heard and Billy Sparrow rushed into the room
exclaiming: "Tom, what have you done?"

"Father," said the young man, "I did what I thought was best. They kindly
offered me an honorable place at Burrough Road, and I had no expectation