192 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



all declaimed him handsome, and the boys 

 said : 



" That isn't the best of it, he's a trump ! 

 Wait till you know him." 



Jane was too loyal to Jack to admit that his 

 friend was any handsomer or in any way a 

 finer fellow than her brother. 



" Who said he was ? " said Frank. " Jack 

 Williams is out and out the finest man I know. 

 We were sizing him up by such fellows as Phil 

 and me." 



" Jack's the most popular man at Yale," said 

 Phil, " but he's too modest to know it ; Jarvis 

 will tell you so. He thinks it's a great snap to 

 have Jack for his chum." 



These things were music in my ears, for I was 

 quite willing to agree with the boys, and the 

 mother's eyes were full of joy as she led the 

 way to the dining room. That was a jolly 

 meal. Nothing was said that could be remem- 

 bered, and yet we all talked a great deal and 

 laughed a great deal more. City, country, farm, 

 college, and seminary were touched with merry 

 jests. Light wit provoked heavy laughter, and 

 every one was the better for it. It was nine o'clock 

 before we left the table. I heard Jarvis say : 



"Miss Jane, I count it very unkind of Jack 

 not to have let me go to Farmington with him 

 last term. He used to talk of his < little sister ' 

 as though she were a miss in short dresses. Jack 

 is a deep and treacherous fellow ! " 



