“Good night,” answered Russell. “I’ll look after everything, sir. By jove, it’s six o’clock!”
“Right-o! I must toddle. You coming over?”
A few minutes later, having put out the lights and securely locked the door, Russell fell in beside Jimmy and the two went briskly off toward the Green. Jimmy was whistling again, but now he had quite forgotten his great sorrow and the sounds he made no longer disguised a crushed spirit and a broken heart. At the corner of State street Russell broke in on the melody.
“Austen, I wish you’d do something for me,” he said.
“Name it,” answered Jimmy promptly. “Hang you, keep still!”
The latter part of the remark was addressed to the parcel he carried, which was earnestly striving to distribute its contents along the way.
“I want to--I want some advice,” continued Russell.
“In that case you’ve come to the right person, Emerson. I’m famous for my advice. What’s the problem?”
Thereupon Russell told about Steve Gaston’s visit and the resulting complications. “Now,” ended Russell, “do you think I ought to go back to the team, Austen?”
“Hm,” said Jimmy. “Well, I don’t just see how you can, you know!”
“But that isn’t it. _Ought_ I to? Is it my duty to--to the School?”
Jimmy was silent for nearly half the block. Then: “Well, if you want my perfectly honest opinion, Emerson,” he said, “I think it’s every fellow’s duty to do what he can for the old A. A. If you can play a fair line of football and Steve needs you--” He stopped. “Still, there’s this store. I don’t believe any fellow could find fault with you if--well, if you didn’t play, Emerson. At least--” Then his voice dwindled again.
“Just the same,” persisted Russell, “you _do_ think it’s my duty to, don’t you?”
“Leave the store out of it, please, Austen.”
“Oh, well, in that case,” said Jimmy relievedly, “absolutely yes. Maybe I’m a little nutty on the subject, Emerson, but I never could stand fellows who weren’t willing to pitch in and do their blamedest for their school or their college or--or their country. Maybe I’m sort of sentimental, but that’s the way I feel. I hate a quitter. Not that you’d be that, of course, under the circumstances--”
“I guess, though, I would be,” said Russell thoughtfully. “Well, that’s settled then.”