"Gus, I am going to lend you the money, but only under one condition," said Dave.
"Do you mean to say you have that much on hand?" demanded Plum.
"Yes, I have exactly a hundred dollars in this pocketbook. It is a special sum that my uncle advised me to keep for emergencies. He says he may go away some time and I may need money before he can send it to me. It has nothing to do with my regular allowance. I will loan you the eighty-five dollars on one condition—no, on two conditions."
"What are they?"
"The first is, that you give me your word to cut out all drinking and all gambling from now on."
"And the second is, that you remain at Oak Hall and fight your way through in spite of what some of the fellows say. Show one and all that you want to make a man of yourself, and sooner or later they will respect you."
"It will be a terribly hard thing to do."
"Never mind, Gus, I will help you all I can, and I am sure some of the others will help you, too."
For a full minute Gus Plum was silent, looking out of the long window at the gathering darkness of the short winter day. Then he turned again to Dave.