Mikky looked at him thoughtfully. He did not understand the large words, and duty meant to him a fine sense of loyalty to those who had been loyal to him.
“I got to stay wid de kids,” he said. “Dey needs me.”
With an exasperated feeling that it was useless to argue against this calmly stated fact, Endicott began again gently:
“But Mikky, you can help them a lot more by going to college than by staying at home.”
The boy’s eyes looked unconvinced but he waited for reasons.
“If you get to be an educated man you will be able to earn money and help them. You can lift them up to better things; build good houses for them to live in; give them work to do that will pay good wages, and help them to be good men.”
“Are you educated?”
Thinking he was making progress Endicott nodded eagerly.
“Is that wot you does fer folks?” The bright eyes searched his face eagerly, keenly, doubtfully.
The color flooded the bank-president’s cheeks and forehead uncomfortably.