"Oh, it melts away, one way or another. I am your only son, and people expect me to spend money. It is expected of one in my position."
"So you can. I consider two dollars a week very liberal."
"You'd understand better if you were a young fellow like me how hard it is to get along on that."
"I don't want to understand," returned his father stoutly. "One thing I understand, and that is, that the boys of the present day are foolishly extravagant. Think of Luke Larkin! Do you think he spends two dollars even in a month?"
"I hope you don't mean to compare me with a working boy like Luke?" Randolph said scornfully.
"I am not sure but Luke would suit me better than you in some respects."
"You are speaking of Luke," said Randolph, with a lucky thought. "Well, even he, working boy as he is, has a better watch than I, who am the son of the president of the Groveton Bank."
"Do you want the ten dollars to buy a better watch?" asked Prince Duncan.
"Yes," answered Randolph, ready to seize on any pretext for the sake of getting the money.
"Then wait till I go to New York again, and I will look at some watches. I won't make any promise, but I may buy you one. I don't care about Luke outshining you."