of the grass somewhere came the sound of a whistle as clear and
happy as of a quail in the wheat; from another direction, the
shouts and wrangling of a playground. Once, barely audible, through
the air surged and died away the last bars of a glorious hymn, sung
by a chorus of fresh male voices. The whole scene was one of
bustle, work, sport, worship.

A few moments the lad remained where he had halted, drinking
through every thirsting pore; but most of all with his eyes
satisfied by the sight of that venerable building which, morning
and night, for over two years had shaped itself to his imagination--
that seat of the university--that entrance into his future.

Three students came strolling along the path toward him on their
way down town. One was slapping his book against his thigh; one was
blowing a ditty through his nose, like music on a comb; one, in the
middle, had his arms thrown over the shoulders of the others, and
was at intervals using them as crutches. As they were about to pass
the lad, who had stepped a few feet to one side of the path, they
wheeled and laughed at him.

"Hello, preachy!" cried one. His face was round, red, and soft,
like the full moon; the disk was now broken up by smiling creases.

"Can you tell me," inquired the lad, coloring and wondering how it
was already known that he was to be a preacher, "Can you tell me
just the way to the Bible College?"

The one of the three on the right turned to the middle man and
repeated the question gravely:--