time. I don't know any young man who is so perfectly clear that he
wants real work. He is not idle as many young men are idle,
prolonging the easy days as long as they can. He is an
extraordinary mixture; he enjoys himself like a schoolboy, and yet
he wants to get to work."

"Well, I think that a very encouraging picture!" said the Vicar;
"there is something very sensible about that. I confess I have
mostly seen the schoolboy side of Jack, and it delights one to know
that there is a serious side! Let us hear what Maud thinks; this
kind of talk is really very enjoyable."

"Yes," said Maud, looking up. "I am sure that Mr. Kennedy is quite
right. I believe that Jack would like to go into an office to-
morrow."

"There," said the Vicar, "you see she agrees with you. It is really
a pleasure to find oneself mistaken. I confess I had not discerned
this quality in Jack; he had seemed to me much set on amusement."

"Oh yes," said Howard, "he likes his fun, and he is active enough;
but it is all passing the time."

"Well, this is really most satisfactory," said the Vicar. "So you
really think he is cut out for business; something commercial?
Well, I confess I had rather hankered after something more
definitely academic and scholastic--something more intellectual!
But I bow to your superior knowledge, Howard, and we must think of
possible openings. Well, I shall enjoy that. My own money, what
there is of it, was made by my grandfather in trade--the