long, K. K. I hope you make the team, all right."

"Same to you, Hugh; but nobody doubts that, for we all think you're
away above all the rest of the Scranton boys as an all-round athlete,
barring none. Some may be able to outdo you in their specialty, but
they're weak in other stunts."

So they parted, K. K. continuing on his way home, while Hugh turned
into a side street, and went whistling along after the manner of a boy
whose mind knew no care. Presently he came to a large house. It was
rather dingy on the outside, but Hugh, who had often been indoors, knew
there was some elegant old mahogany furniture, as well as other
mementoes of the former life of the Madame when she filled a high niche
at the French court, before the republic was inaugurated.

His knock at the door--for instead of an electric bell the lady
insisted on using one of those enormous old silver-plated knockers,
that used to be the fashion fifty or sixty years back--was answered by
a colored woman, who seemed to know the boy, for she smiled pleasantly.

"Yassir, de missus is in," she told him in answer to his question.
"Jes' yo' walk on back to de library, honey, an' dar you'll find her,
sewin' like she always does dese amazin' times. You knows de way, I
reckons, sah."

"I certainly do, Sarah," he assured her as he started along the wide
hall.

When he knocked gently at the library door, he was told to enter, which
Hugh proceeded to do. A very wrinkled and old woman sat in a big