ticket to Bellwood, but go right back home. I've made all the arrangements
for him by letter at Bellwood. The only reason I was going with him was to
deliver him into the hands of the teachers and give them an inkling of what
a troublesome fellow he is."

"Doesn't it strike you that that would hurt his chances with them and
discourage him?" suggested Frank.

"I never thought of that."

"Excuse me, Mr. Upton," said Frank, "but maybe you're too hard on your
stepson. It's hard to understand people, and a boy is a queer make-up. I
will be glad to have him come with me to Bellwood, and I'll put myself out
to make it agreeable for him."

"But he won't be agreeable; that's the trouble, you see," declared the
farmer. "When he gets in one of them tantrums of his, you simply can't
reason with him."

"Well, I'll take charge of him, if you don't wish to make the long journey,
Mr. Upton."

"I'll never know how to thank you, if you will," said the farmer
gratefully. "Hi, there, Robert."

"Me?" droned the boy in the seat across the aisle.

"Who else do you suppose?" snapped his stepfather testily. "Come, rout out
there, or I'll unhitch a strap somewhere and make you step lively."