"If I can afford it, I want to bring him back here when the fall term opens."
Mr. Nelson smiled gently. "Mr. Tarrant, when you looked up the Jackson School for Boys, I'm sure you saw nothing about our being restricted to wealthy boys only. We do have students, and I'll admit that they are of exceptional ability, who pay whatever their parents or guardians can afford."
"Where does Dan rate in that category?"
"Very highly. Very highly I assure you. An outstanding youngster, but your revelations were not a complete surprise."
"You expected him to run away?"
"I took him to his father's funeral," Mr. Nelson said softly. "He said little, but I knew what he was thinking. After he ran away, I wrote to the authorities in Smithville, but I've had no reply."
"That's my fault," Jeff admitted. "I told them that Dan was under my care and that I'd contact you personally."
"You did? By any chance did you have ideas about looking us over?"
"I had that idea. And I had no intention of letting him come back if you did not measure up."
"Oh! We do meet your standards?"