"Oh, well," said Page, after a moment, "I'm not going to be knocked out by that! I'll just go into the examination and do as well as I can and take chances; that's what the rest of us have got to do."
"That's the best way to look at it," Frank answered, "and I don't think I shall bother my head with cramming for it.
"If I were you, Page, I'd go down to some of those second-hand stores on the street and see if you can't pick up a pair of old-fashioned andirons. You don't want to get new ones, you know, for a place like this, they wouldn't seem appropriate."
"That's so," Page answered, with a queer smile, "I believe I'll adopt your suggestion at once. How would you place them?"
"Why, just as they are placed in every other fireplace," Frank answered, "one on each side; that is, if the old chimney will draw."
"Perhaps it won't," said Page.
"I hadn't thought of that," continued Frank. "It may be that the place was closed up because the chimney was defective. Let's see if we can find out."
So saying, he knelt and entered the fireplace. Once inside it was easy to stand upright, for the chimney was broad, and as he looked up he could see that it ran with a slight incline clear to the roof.
"There's nothing to prevent a fire from being built here," he said, with his eyes turned upward. "Such a chimney as this would draw like a furnace."
Page made no response.