Grant whistled.

Two hundred and sixty-seven dollars seemed to him an immense sum,
and so it was, to a poor minister with a family of three children
and a salary of only six hundred dollars. Where to obtain so large a
sum neither Grant nor his mother could possibly imagine. Even if
there were anyone to borrow it from, there seemed no chance to pay
back so considerable a sum.

Mother and son looked at each other in perplexity. Finally, Grant
broke the silence.

"Mother," he said, "one thing seems pretty clear. I must go to work.
I am fifteen, well and strong, and I ought to be earning my own
living."

"But your father has set his heart upon your going to college,
Grant."

"And I should like to go, too; but if I did it would be years before
I could be anything but an expense and a burden, and that would make
me unhappy."

"You are almost ready for college, Grant, are you not?"

"Very nearly. I could get ready for the September examination. I
have only to review Homer, and brush up my Latin."

"And your uncle Godfrey is ready to help you through."