all he earned. Both Charley and Lew had already earned more than their
share of the purchase money.

"You never can tell what will happen," said Lew presently. "Who ever
expected Roy to get the job he has? You may land in another just as good.
You stand pretty near the head of your class, and everybody knows you're a
corking good wireless operator."

"I can tell well enough what will happen, Lew. The minute I'm out of high
school, I'll have to go to work with Dad in Miller's factory. Gee! How I
hate the place! Think of working nine hours a day in such a dirty, smoky,
noisy old hole, where you can't get a breath of fresh air, or see the sky,
or hear the birds. Just to think about it is enough to make a fellow feel
blue."

"But maybe you won't have to go into the factory at all," argued Lew.
"Maybe you can find some other job you like better."

"No, I shall have to go into the factory," repeated Charley sadly. "Dad
says I've got to get to work the minute I've graduated, and earn the most
money possible. And there's no other place where I can get as much as they
pay at Miller's. Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe
three dollars."

Charley paused and sighed, then added, "What's three dollars a day if you
have to be penned up like an animal to earn it? I'd rather take half as
much if I could work out in the open and do something I like."

"Why don't you tell your father so?"