Greek　philosophers　with　their　dates　and　doctrines　were　shouted　gayly　in
  the　meadow。　　The　foreheads　of　the　boys　were　damp　to…day；　as　they　had
  been　last　night；　and　their　shirts　were　opened　to　the　air；　but　it　was　the
  sun　that　made　them　hot　now；　and　no　lamp　or　gas；　and　already　they　looked
  twice　as　alive　as　they　had　looked　at　breakfast。　　There　they　sat；　while
  their　memories　gripped　the　summarized　list　of　facts　essential；　facts　to
  be　known　accurately；　the　simple；　solid；　raw　facts；　which；　should　they
  happen　to　come　on　the　examination　paper；　no　skill　could　evade　nor　any
  imagination　supply。　　But　this　study　was　no　longer　dry　and　dreadful　to
  them：　they　had　turned　it　to　a　sporting　event。　　〃What　about　Heracleitos？〃
  Billy　as　catechist　would　put　at　Bertie。　　〃Eternal　flux；〃　Bertie　would
  correctly　snap　back　at　Billy。　　Or；　if　he　got　it　mixed　up；　and　replied；
  〃Everything　is　water；〃　which　was　the　doctrine　of　another　Greek；　then
  Billy　would　credit　himself　with　twenty…five　cents　on　a　piece　of　paper。
  Each　ran　a　memorandum　of　this　kind；　and　you　can　readily　see　how　spirited
  a　character　metaphysics　would　assume　under　such　conditions。
  〃I'm　going　in；〃　said　Bertie；　suddenly；　as　Billy　was　crediting　himself
  with　a　fifty…cent　gain。　　〃What's　your　score？〃
  〃Two　seventy…five；　counting　your　break　on　Parmenides。　　It'II　be　cold。〃
  〃No；　it　won't。　　Well；　I'm　only　a　quarter　behind　you。〃　　And　Bertie　puffed
  off　his　shoes。　　Soon　he　splashed　into　the　stream　where　the　bend　made　a
  hole　of　some　depth。
  〃Cold？〃　inquired　Billy　on　the　bank。　　Bertie　closed　his　eyes　dreamily。
  〃Delicious；〃　said　he；　and　sank　luxuriously　beneath　the　surface　with　slow
  strokes。
  Billy　had　his　clothes　off　in　a　moment；　and；　taking　the　plunge；　screamed
  loudly　〃You　liar！〃　he　yelled；　as　he　came　up。　　And　he　made　for　Bertie。
  Delight　rendered　Bertie　weak　and　helpless；　he　was　caught　and　ducked；　and
  after　some　vigorous　wrestling　both　came　out　of　the　icy　water。
  〃Now　we've　got　no　towels；　you　fool；〃　said　Billy。
  〃Use　your　notes；〃　said　Bertie；　and　he　rolled　in　the　grass。　　Then　they
  chased　each　other　round　the　apple　trees；　and　the　black　gelding　watched
  them　by　the　wall；　its　ears　well　forward。
  While　they　were　dressing　they　discovered　it　was　half…past　one；　and
  became　instantly　famished。　　〃We　should　have　brought　lunch　along；〃　they
  told　each　other。　　But　they　forgot　that　no　such　thing　as　lunch　could　have
  induced　them　to　delay　their　escape　from　Cambridge　for　a　moment　this
  morning。　　〃What　do　you　suppose　Oscar　is　doing　now？〃　　Billy　inquired　of
  Bertie；　as　they　led　the　black　gelding　back　to　the　road；　and　Bertie
  laughed　like　an　infant。　　〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　in　Oscar's　manner；　〃we
  now　approach　the　multiplicity　of　the　ego。〃　　The　black　gelding　must　have
  thought　it　had　humorists　to　deal　with　this　day。
  Oscar；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　was　eating　his　cheap　lunch　away　over　in
  Cambridge。　　There　was　cold　mutton；　and　boiled　potatoes　with　hard　brown
  spots　in　them；　and　large　picked　cucumbers；　and　the　salt　was　damp　and
  would　not　shake　out　through　the　holes　in　the　top　of　the　bottle。　　But
  Oscar　ate　two　helps　of　everything　with　a　good　appetite；　and　between
  whiles　looked　at　his　notes；　which　lay　open　beside　him　on　the　table。　　At
  the　stroke　of　two　he　was　again　knocking　at　his　pupils'　door。　　But　no
  answer　came。　　John　had　gone　away　somewhere　for　indefinite　hours　and　the
  door　was　locked。　　So　Oscar　wrote：　〃Called；　two　p。m。；〃　on　a　scrap　of
  envelope；　signed　his　name；　and　put　it　through　the　letter…slit。　　It
  crossed　his　mind　to　hunt　other　pupils　for　his　vacant　time；　but　he
  decided　against　this　at　once；　and　returned　to　his　own　room。　　Three
  o'clock　found　him　back　at　the　door；　knocking　scrupulously；　The　idea　of
  performing　his　side　of　the　contract；　of　tendering　his　goods　and　standing
  ready　at　all　times　to　deliver　them；　was　in　his　commercially　mature　mind。
  This　time　he　had　brought　a　neat　piece　of　paper　with　him；　and　wrote　upon
  it；　〃Called；　three　P。M。；〃　and　signed　it　as　before；　and　departed　to　his
  room　with　a　sense　of　fulfilled　obligations。
  Bertie　and　Billy　had　lunched　at　Mattapan　quite　happily　on　cold　ham；　cold
  pie；　and　doughnuts。　　Mattapan；　not　being　accustomed　to　such　lilies　of
  the　field；　stared　at　their　clothes　and　general　glory；　but　observed　that
  they　could　eat　the　native　bill…of…fare　as　well　as　anybody。　　They　found
  some　good；　cool　beer；　moreover；　and　spoke　to　several　people　of　the
  Bird…in…Hand；　and　got　several　answers：　for　instance；　that　the
  Bird…in…Hand　was　at　Hingham；　that　it　was　at　Nantasket；　that　they　had
  better　inquire　for　it　at　South　Braintree；　that　they　had　passed　it　a　mile
  back；　and　that　there　was　no　such　place。　　If　you　would　gauge　the
  intelligence　of　our　population；　inquire　your　way　in　a　rural
  neighborhood。　　With　these　directions　they　took　up　their　journey　after　an
  hour　and　a　half；a　halt　made　chiefly　for　the　benefit　of　the　black
  gelding；　whom　they　looked　after　as　much　as　they　did　themselves。　　For　a
  while　they　discussed　club　matters　seriously；　as　both　of　them　were
  officers　of　certain　organizations；　chosen　so　on　account　of　their
  recognized　executive　gifts。　　These　questions　settled；　they　resumed　the
  lighter　theme　of　philosophy；　and　made　it　（as　Billy　observed）　a　　near
  thing　for　the　Causal　law。　　But　as　they　drove　along；　their　minds　left
  this　topic　on　the　abrupt　discovery　that　the　sun　was　getting　down　out　of
  the　sky；　and　they　asked　each　other　where　they　were　and　what　they　should
  do。　They　pulled　up　at　some　cross…roads　and　debated　this　with　growing
  uneasiness。　　Behind　them　lay　the　way　to　Cambridge；　…　not　very　clear；　to
  be　sure；　but　you　could　always　go　where　you　had　come　from；　Billy　seemed
  to　think。　　He　asked；　〃How　about　Cambridge　and　a　little　Oscar　to　finish
  off　with？〃　　Bertie　frowned。　　This　would　be　failure。　　Was　Billy　willing
  to　go　back　and　face　John　the　successful？
  〃It　would　only　cost　me　five　dollars；〃　said　Billy。
  〃Ten；〃　Bertie　corrected。　　He　recalled　to　Billy　the　matter　about　the
  landlady's　hair。
  〃By　Jove；　that's　so！〃　cried　Billy；　brightening。　　It　seemed　conclusive。
  But　he　grew　cloudy　again　the　next　moment。　　He　was　of　opinion　that　one
  could　go　too　far　in　a　thing。
  〃Where's　your　sand？〃　said　Bertie。
  Billy　made　an　unseemly　rejoinder；　but　even　in　the　making　was　visited　by
  inspiration。　　He　saw　the　whole　thing　as　it　really　was。　　〃By　Jove！〃　said
  he；　〃we　couldn't　get　back　in　time　for　dinner。〃
  〃There's　my　bonny　boy！〃　said　Bertie；　with　pride；　and　he　touched　up　the
  black　gelding。　　Uneasiness　had　left　both　of　them。　　Cambridge　was
  manifestly　impossible；　an　error　in　judgment；　food　compelled　them　to　seek
  the　Bird…in…Hand。　　〃We'll　try　Quincy；　anyhow；〃　Bertie　said。　　Billy
  suggested　that　they　inquire　of　people　on　the　road。　　This　provided　a　new
  sporting　event：　they　could　bet　upon　the　answers。　　Now；　the　roads；　not
  populous　at　noon；　had　grown　solitary　in　the　sweetness　of　the　long
  twilight。　　Voices　of　birds　there　were；　and　little；　black；　quick　brooks；
  full　to　the　margin　grass；　shot　under　the　roadway　through　low　bridges。
  Through　the　web　of　young　foliage　the　sky　shone　saffron；　and　frogs　piped
  in　the　meadow　swamps。　　No　cart　or　carriage　appeared；　however；　and　the
  bets　languished。　　Bertie；　driving　with　one　hand；　was　buttoning　his　coat
  with　the　other；　when　the　black　gelding　leaped　from　the　middle　of　the
  road　to　the　turf　and　took　to　backing。　　The　buggy　reeled；　but　the　driver
  was　skilful；　and　fifteen　seconds　of　whip　and　presence　of　mind　brought　it
  out　smoothly。　　Then　the　cause　of　all　this　spoke　to　them　from　a　gate。
  〃Come　as　near　spillin'　as　you　boys　wanted；　I　guess；〃　remarked　the　cause。
  They　looked；　and　saw　him　in　huge　white　shirt…sleeves；　shaking　with
  joviality。　　〃If　you　kep'　at　it　long　enough　you　might　a…most　learn　to
  drive　a　horse；〃　he　continued；　eying　Bertie。　　This　came　as　near　direct
  praise　as　the　true　son　of　our　soilNorthern　or　Southernoften　thinks
  well　of。　　Bertie　was　pleased；　but　made　a　modest　observation；　and　〃Are　we
  near　the　tavern？〃　he　asked。　　〃Bird…in…Hand！〃　the　son　of　the　soil　echoed；
  and　he　contemplated　them　from　his　gate。　　That's　me；〃　he　stated；　　with
  complacence。　　〃Bill　Diggs　of　the　Bird…in…Hand　has　been　me　since　April；
  '65。〃　　His　massy　hair　had　been　yellow；　his　broad　body　must　have　weighed
  two　hundred　and　fifty　pounds；　his　face　was　canny；　red；　and　somewhat
  clerical；　resembling　Henry　Ward　Beecher's。
  〃Trout；〃　he　said；　pointing　to　a　basket　by　the　gate。　　〃For　your　dinner。
  〃Then　he　climbed　heavily　but　skilfully　down　and　picked　up　the　basket　and
  a　rod。　　〃Folks　round　here　say；〃　said　he；　〃that　there　ain't　no　more　trout
  up　them　meadows。　　They've　been　a…sayin'　that　since　'74；　and　I've　been
  a…sayin'　it　myself；　when　judicious。〃　　Here　he　shook　slightly　and　opened
  the　basket。　　〃Twelve；〃　he　said。　　〃Sixteen　yesterday。　　Now　you　go　along
  and　turn　in　the　first　right…hand　turn；　and　I'll　be　up　with　you　soon。
  Maybe　you　might　make　room　for　the　trout。〃　　Room　for　him　as　well；　they
  assured　him；　they　were　in　luck　to　find　him；　the