"I'll have nothing more to say to you, you young imp."

"Don't say that, Harry," the lad said in a tone of alarm. "You know how
sympathizing I am, and I know what a comfort it is for you to unburden
yourself; but I do think that it won't be necessary to go into personal
descriptions, you know, or to tell me what you said to her or she said to
you, because you told me all that ten days ago, also what her tyrannical
old father said. But really seriously I am awfully sorry about it all, and
if there is anything that I can possibly do for you I shall be only too
pleased. I don't see that it would be any advantage for me to go and give
the old gentleman my opinion of him; but if you think it would, and can
coach me in some of his sore points, we might see how we could work upon
them."

"I always thought you were a young ass, Bertie," Harry said sternly, "but
I have not realized before how utterly assified you are."

"All right, Harry!" the lad said cheerfully; "hit me as hard as you like,
under the circumstances I feel that I cannot kick."

Harry said nothing for another five minutes.

"This is a serious matter," he said at last, "and I don't want any
tomfoolery."

"All right, Harry! I will be as serious as a judge."

"I am thinking of going away for two years."

The lad turned half round in his chair and had a good look at his brother.