"One hundred dollars! Neal!" To Cynthia this seemed a fortune. "Why, how did you ever spend it all?"
"Spend it! Easily enough. Suppers once in a while, ginger-pop, candy, cigarettes."
"I didn't know you smoked."
"Neither I do. I just do it occasionally to show I'm up to it. But it's no go if you're training, and I'm training most of the time. But you have to keep cigarettes on hand for the fellows."
"But, Neal, you told me once how large your allowance is, and I don't see how you ever in the world managed to spend so much more."
"Easily enough, as I said before. You see, I have the name of being a rich fellow, and I have to live up to it, which makes it hard. I have to live up to it, when, after all, I'm practically dependent on Hessie. I haven't a cent of my own until I'm twenty-five. This fellow Bronson offered to lend me a fiver one day, and I got into the habit of asking him. I didn't mean to let it run on so long. He's a queer lot—awfully smooth on the outside, and inside hard as nails. We were good friends at first; then he did something I didn't like, and I cut him; but he didn't seem to mind it, and afterwards when he offered me the fiver I thought I might as well take it. What a mean will that was anyhow of grandmother's!"
Neal moodily tugged at a wisp of straw which he held in his teeth, and looked across the meadow. A herd of cows came down on the opposite side of the river for a drink, and Bob barked at them loudly, running as near to them as he dared.
For a time Cynthia did not speak. Then she said,
"Aren't you going to ask mamma?"
"I suppose I'll have to. I wouldn't mind a bit if she were not married, but I suppose your father will have to know about it."