"What for?"

"To play on, of course! What did you think I wanted it for?"

"But you can't play, can you?"

"Not yet; but I expect you could show me some--now, couldn't you?"

"What put it into your head to want to play on the violin?" asked
Philip, with some curiosity.

"Why, you see, the girls like it. It would be kind of nice when I go
to a party, or marm has company, to scrape off a tune or two-just
like you do. It makes a feller kinder pop'lar with the girls, don't
you see?" said Nick, with a knowing grin.

"And you want to be popular with the young ladies!" said Philip,
smiling, in spite of his bereavement, at the idea being entertained
by such a clumsy-looking caliban as Nick Holden.

"Of course I do!" answered Nick, with another grin. "You see I'm
gettin' along-I'll be nineteen next month, and I might want to get
married by the time I'm twenty-one, especially if the old man should
drop off sudden."

"I understand all that, Nicholas--"

"Call me Nick. I ain't stuck up if I am most a man. Call me pet
names, dearest."