“But maybe you won’t have to go into the factory at all,” argued Lew.  “Maybe you can find some other job you like better.”

“No, I shall have to go into the factory,” repeated Charley sadly.  “Dad says I’ve got to get to work the minute I’ve graduated, and earn the most money possible.  And there’s no other place where I can get as much as they pay at Miller’s.  Dad says I can get two-fifty a day at the start and maybe three dollars.”

Charley paused and sighed, then added, “What’s three dollars a day if you have to be penned up like an animal to earn it?  I’d rather take half as much if I could work out in the open and do something I like.”

“Why don’t you tell your father so?”

“I have—­dozens of times.  But he says it isn’t a question of what I want to do.  It’s a question of making the most money possible and helping him.  He says he’s supported me for more than eighteen years and now I have to help him for a year or two anyway.”

“That’s a shame!” cried Lew.

“No, it isn’t, Lew,” explained Charley.  “It’s all right about helping Dad.  He’s been mighty good to me, and he’s in the hole now.  You see, Dad and Mother have been married twenty years and Dad’s worked hard all this time and saved his money to build a house.  And just about the time Dad was ready to begin building, prices began to go up.  Dad held off, thinking they would drop.  But they got higher instead, and finally Dad told the carpenters to go ahead, lest prices should go higher still.  Now the house is going to cost almost double what Dad expected it would, and the awful prices of everything else take every cent Dad can earn.  With such a big mortgage on the place, Dad says he’s just got to have my help or he may lose the house and all he has saved in those twenty years.  It’s all right about helping Dad, Lew.  I want to do that, but I can’t bear to think of going to work in that factory.”

“It’s too bad, Charley.  I had hoped so much that we could go to college together.”

“Lew, if I could go to college I’d work my head off to do it.  You know that.  If only I could go to college and learn about the birds and flowers and rocks and trees and animals, I’d be willing to do anything—­even to work in Miller’s factory for a time.  But Dad will need every cent I can earn until I am twenty-one, and I can’t see how I can possibly go to college.”

“Never mind, Charley.  You never can tell what will happen.  Look at Roy.  He was worse off than you are, for his father died suddenly and Roy had to care for both himself and his mother.  And see what came of it.  He isn’t much older than we are, yet he’s got a fine job.  Just keep your eyes open and you may pick up something, too.”

“It’ll have to come quick, then,” sighed Charley.  “Here it is almost Easter vacation, and I am to graduate in June.  This will probably be the last vacation I shall have in a long time.”