Herbert, who had not heard of our hero’s return, started as if he had met a serpent.

“Good-evening, Herbert,” said Andy, good-naturedly.

“Have you got back?” asked Herbert, curiosity struggling with disappointment.

“It looks like it, doesn’t it?”{254}

“I thought you had got into trouble?” said Herbert. “How did you manage to get out of it?”

Andy laughed.

“I hear,” he said, “that some of my good friends have been circulating bad reports about me. It’s a pity to spoil their enjoyment¹, but it’s another person entirely² who has misbehaved himself. As I am not twenty-five, I don’t see how anyone should think it was I.”

“That might be a mistake, you know. The name was Andrew Gordon.”

“Then I wish Andrew Gordon would change his name. I assure you, Herbert, I have no intention of taking up the business of stealing.”

“You’d better not,” said Herbert, stiffly, feeling rather suspicious that Andy was laughing at him.

“Did you make any money when you were away?” asked Herbert.

“Oh, yes! I got a situation directly.”

“Was the pay good?”

“Fifty cents a week and my board,” answered Andy, gravely.

Herbert sniffed³ scornfully.

“You’d better have stayed at home,” he said.

“I don’t know about that. I am well satisfied with the success of my journey.”

“You can’t be janitor⁴ again!” said Herbert, triumphantly⁵.

“Why not?”

“Another boy got it, and Dr. Euclid won’t put him out, just to oblige you.”

“I am not a candidate for the position of janitor,” said Andy.

“Don’t you mean to go to school, then?”

“Oh, yes! I want to continue my education,” said Andy.

“You know enough already for a poor boy.”

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