CHAPTER XVII. SCHOOL DAYS. It was a beautiful day in the middle of September. The trees had put on their bright, autumn colors, and the air was clear and invigorating. "Just think," said Jim, "this is the last day of vacation!" "Why, so it is," replied Brandt; "your school opens to-morrow." "I hate to go back," observed Jim, "because you're here." "I shall be terribly lonesome, I suppose," said Brandt; "but then, it can't be helped. I'm not to begin my studies until the middle of the winter, Dr. Faire said," continued the boy; "but I wish I was going with you. 66 "I wouldn't mind going back, if you were coming," cried Jim. "Well, everybody ought to go to school," returned his friend. "Mrs. Cole says it's a splendid thing to do. We ought to get all the knowledge we can. It makes you more useful to yourself and other people, when you grow up, you know. She told me one day how a man might lose everything almost,—his friends, position, and money,—but no one could take away his education; and the knowledge that he possessed would be a source of help and pleasure to him when everything else was gone." "I know that is all true," said Jim, a little reluctantly, "but," he added quickly, "we'll have Saturdays, and every day after school together." "You know when I first came," observed Brandt, "you were going to school." "That's so," replied Jim; "and when my chores were done, we had lots of time to play." The last day of vacation was spent in visiting all their treasures and favorite spots. They went to Liberty Camp on the tandem, and rested in their favorite old place, making plans for the future. And the wonderful plans two boys can make, and the joy of telling, only a boy knows! Brandt declared he would travel all over the world and see the beautiful places that he had read and heard about. He would sail in a great ship, and Jim would be the captain. Brave little knights, sans peur et sans reproche. Jim, with his tool-chest (to the mind of a boy all things are possible), was going to build great houses and ships and beautiful boats. "Oh, the joy of the future, grown-up time!" thought the two little lads, with their fairy plans. Ah! Jim and Brandt, happy little dreamers, it is the boyhood time that is the sweetest. And if it were possible to realize all the wonderful delights that you have dreamed of in the happy after-time, you would still look back and say, “Oh, to be a boy again!" The next morning, bright and early, two happy boys mounted a tandem, and took the road for the village school. If there was a lingering regret in Jim's heart, it did not show itself in his outward appear ance, at least. His clothes were fresh and clean. A large plaid tie adorned the brown neck, and his shoes were polished till they shone. The torn straw hat that he had revelled in during the summer days had given place to a small cap that rested jauntily on the thick, red-brown hair. Jim's face, which had been scrubbed with yellow soap, was so resplendent that each little brown freckle stood out clearly on the shiny surface. A spotless handkerchief was folded neatly, and peered a few inches above the pocket of the gingham blouse, while under his arm was a well-thumbed copy of the Franklin Reader. After a short time the tandem approached the little weather-beaten schoolhouse, with its storm porch in evidence, winter and summer. A group of boys and girls, all ages and sizes, stood around and gave our boys many admiring glances. At first some of them held aloof, a little bashful in Brandt's presence; but after a while their curiosity got the better of their shy feelings, and they pressed around the tandem, exchanging opinions about it. Jim, with boyish pride, was telling them about it, when suddenly somebody cried, "Teacher's comin'." In another minute Brandt beheld a smiling young woman in a pink shirt-waist, hemmed in on all sides. by a merry, chattering throng. 66 66 Well, I declare," said the teacher, approaching, "how well you look, children! Rosy is fatter than ever, and how tall Willy Lee has grown! As for you, Tiny Tibbetts" (a great overgrown lad who towered over the teacher), "we shall have to get a nice new desk, I'm sure. And there is Jim Mullen, honest Jim, stronger than ever." She had a pleasant word for everybody, and each pupil thus addressed beamed with pleasure, especially Tiny Tibbetts, who hung back, shuffling his great feet and casting sidelong glances at a small girl near him. The teacher opened the door, and the troop followed in. There was a merry babble of voices for a few minutes, and then all was still-school had begun. Brandt stood beside his tandem for a short time, almost wishing he belonged to |