"Ford, did you know Dick was real bright?"
"'Cute little chap as I ever saw. Why?"
"Well, he ought to go to school."
"Why don't he go?"
"He does, except in summer. He might go to the academy if they'd take him and he had money enough."
"What academy?"
"Why, Grantley, of course. I'm going, and so are you and Frank. Why shouldn't Dick go?"
"You're going? Hurrah for that! Why didn't you say so before?"
"Wasn't sure till this morning. You fellows'll be a long way ahead of me, but I mean to catch up."
For a few minutes poor Dick was lost sight of in a storm of talk, but Dab came back to him with: