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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