“Oh, it doesn’t matter. I only thought that if you did happen to have it——”
“I know, but I fancy I could get it in a few days. Only thing is the mater’s away just now.” He frowned thoughtfully. “What are you going to do, Bert? Buy something?”
“Sort of. It doesn’t matter a bit.” He yawned elaborately, tossed aside the block of paper and sat up. “I’d have to have it by Monday, anyway. Thanks just the same.”
“Monday! But this is Friday, and——”
“I know. Don’t bother. I tell you it doesn’t matter, Hugh.”
“Yes, but—if you want it—I say, now, I might telegraph, eh? But I dare say you could get it from home as soon as I could.”
“Well, the fact is——” Bert hesitated. “My dad’s shut down on me and won’t send me a cent beyond my allowance; and that’s only ten a month. Of course, he will come around in time; maybe in a month; but I’ve got to have—that is, I—I need twenty or thirty right now. I’ve sort of promised a man to let him have it Monday. It—it’s a debt. An old one. Things I bought last winter. Now he’s acting nasty and threatens to go to faculty if I don’t settle up.”
“But I thought we weren’t allowed to have any debts!”
Bert shrugged. “We aren’t supposed to, except by special arrangement. But most every fellow has things charged here in the village or over in Needham. Of course you’re supposed to settle at the end of term, and I meant to, but I was hard up and couldn’t. This Shylock bothered me all summer with bills and letters and things and I told him I’d pay when I got back. Well, I tried to, but dad got angry and said I was spending too much money and I’d have to get along on my allowance. And he told mother not to let me have it. So it’s a rotten outlook. Of course, if I can’t pay him right now, I can’t, and that’s all there is to it. Only if he should go to Charlie I’d get fired as quick as a wink.”
“That’s too bad,” said Hugh sympathetically. “We’ll simply have to dig up the money somewhere. Toss me that block, will you? And your pencil? Thanks. Now, let’s see. ‘Please send six pounds’—no, ‘thirty dollars——’” Hugh nibbled the pencil reflectively. “I’ve got about six dollars, though, so I’ll just ask for twenty-five. Thirty’s enough, old chap? You’re certain?”