"That depends on the way you look at it. Boyd is coming back from Europe to take the West Point examinations—"
Blue Bonnet smothered an exclamation: she had seen that coming.
"—and Grandfather says that since the Army seems out of the question for me, he thinks I had better hurry home and take the Harvard exams. He seems set on it."
"And you don't want to?"
"It isn't to be thought of." Alec's mouth was very determined.
Now why, if West Point was disposed of, could he not take the next best—or in her opinion the very best—thing that offered? It was on the point of Blue Bonnet's tongue to put the question, when Alec spoke again.
"I've been putting off writing Grandfather,—what I told you a while ago,—thinking I might feel different after a time. But I'm more convinced than ever now. I had a long talk with Knight's friend 'Doc' Abbott, and he gave me a thorough going over, as he called it—"
"And what did he say?"
"He agrees with me, absolutely. There's no Harvard or any other college for Alec Trent—"
"Oh, Alec!" Blue Bonnet was trembling. To hide it she bent and picked up little Texas, stroking one of his silky ears. The coyotes had been placed in the empty rabbit-hutch, and were growing prodigiously.
