"About a thousand."

The two walked side by side toward the college.

"Have you matriculated?" inquired the lad's companion. There was
that awful word again!

"I don't know HOW to matriculate. How DO you matriculate? What is
matriculating?"

"I'LL go with you. I'LL show you," said the simple fatherly guide.

"Thank you, if you will" breathed the lad, gratefully.

After a brief silence his companion spoke again.

"I'm late in life in entering college. I've got a son half as big
as you and a baby; and my wife's here. But, you see, I've had a
hard time. I've preached for years. But I wasn't satisfied. I
wanted to understand the Bible better. And this is the place to do
that." Now that he had explained himself, he looked relieved.

"Well," said David, fervently, entering at once into a brotherhood
with this kindly soul, "that's what I've come for, too. I want to
understand the Bible better--and if I am ever worthy--I want to
preach it. And you have baptized people already?"

"Hundreds of them. Here we are," said his companion, as they passed
under a low doorway, on one side of the pillared steps.