38 THE LAW OF THE SQUARES OF THE DISTANCES. 



When she proposed the plan to her husband the next 

 morning at breakfast, he at first shook his head somewhat 

 doubtfully, saying, " It Avill make a great interruption in 

 his studies." 



" It will help him very much in his French, at least," 

 said John's mother. 



"True," said his father; "it will help him decidedly in 

 his French." 



" And it will be a great advantage to him every way," 

 said his mother, " to see a little of the world." 



"And then, besides," said John, "I can go on with my 

 studies in other things. Cousin Lawrence is an excellent 

 teacher." 



"Can you study while you are traveling?" asked his 

 father. 



"Yes, sir," said John, promptly. "I can have my book 

 and study my lesson in the cars just as well as any where 

 else. That would not prevent my looking out of the win- 

 dow now and then." 



"Well," said his father, after a moment's pause, "I'll see. 

 Talk with your cousin about it, and see what he says. 

 Form a definite plan, and show it to me, and I will con- 

 sider it." 



So John went that same day to find his cousin, and 

 brought the question before him. His cousin seemed very 

 much pleased with the idea of having John for his compan- 

 ion, and said that he would draw up some kind of a plan 

 in the form of conditions, and that then, if John agreed to 

 them, he could offer them to his father. 



A few days after this, Lawrence presented a paper to 

 John containing the conditions, asking him to examine 

 them and see if he was willing to agree to them, or 

 whether he would wish to have any alterations made. 

 John examined the conditions attentively. There was 



