“But I can’t go,” said Kendall. “I’m on probation, you see.”
“I thought of that and so I saw Collins and got permission for you to leave school for two hours. Come on now.”
Ned’s hair didn’t really require trimming, but he went through with it, and he was glad he had afterwards, since by doing so he had brought about the shearing of Kendall’s abundant locks. Kendall looked at least twenty-five per cent. better when he left the barber shop and Ned, whose courage had been failing him, took heart again. “If,” he told himself, “a mere hair-cut will work that improvement in him, what will a decent suit of clothes do?”
They strolled along the street, looking in at windows and enjoying themselves hugely, until they reached Wallace’s. There Ned stood treat to a wonderful concoction called a “maple-nut sundae.” If you don’t think it was good, try it yourself some time. It was vanilla ice cream with chopped walnuts and maple sugar lavishly sprinkled over the top of it. It was so good that Kendall begged to be allowed to stand treat in turn, and so they each had another glass of the delectable mixture. Then Ned observed carelessly:
“I wonder if you’d mind walking down to the New York Store with me, Curt?”
“Of course not. What sort of a place is it?”
“Don’t you know it? It’s the best clothing store here. I want to see what they’ve got there. I’ll have to be buying a winter suit some day.”
Once inside, the rest was far easier than Ned had dared hope. He had some ten or fifteen suits produced for their inspection and asked Kendall’s opinion and advice constantly. Then he “jollied” the clerk until that young gentleman would have pulled half the stock down for them. At last Ned remarked casually:
“This wouldn’t be a bad chance for you to get rigged out with some new togs, Curt. How do you like this?”