"More flourishing. I don't practice much, but sing a good deal in
company. Set up a guitar last summer and went troubadouring
round in great style. The girls like it, and it's jolly among the
fellows."

"Are you studying anything?"

"Well, I have some lawbooks on my table good, big, wise-looking
chaps and I take a turn at them semioccasionally when pleasure
palls or parents chide. But I doubt if I do more than learn what 'a
allybi' is this year," and a sly laugh in Charlie's eye suggested that
he sometimes availed himself of this bit of legal knowledge.

"What do you do then?"

"Fair catechist, I enjoy myself. Private theatricals have been the
rage of late, and I have won such laurels that I seriously think of
adopting the stage as my profession."

"Really!" cried Rose, alarmed.

"Why not? If I must go to work, isn't that as good as anything?"

"Not without more talent than I think you possess. With genius one
can do anything without it one had better let the stage alone."

"There's a quencher for the 'star of the goodlie companie' to which
I belong. Mac hasn't a ray of genius for anything, yet you admire
him for trying to be an M.D.," cried Charlie, rather nettled at her
words.