Part 17 (1/2)
”I wish I could!” he declared ”Can't you think of so, Mother?”
Mrs Swift paused aunless it was so you did yourself,” she said at last ”Of course your father and I could give you the money to buy a present; but after all that would be our present and not yours”
”Oh, a gift we bought would not be of the slightest use,” cut in Dr Swift ”It would spoil the whole idea Either Theo would have to purchase so with his own money----”
”I have only saved a dollar out of my allowance,” interrupted Theo dubiously
”Or he would have to do so, for Mr Croyden,” concluded the Doctor
”I don't see what I could do,” , son?” asked hishis head
”Don't they teach you how toat school?”
”No, sir”
”All head and no hands, I suppose,” retorted Dr Swift scornfully ”That is the ith ourup a boy I wish I had realized it before Louisa, why didn't you see to this?” blustered the Doctor
”You picked out Theo's studies yourself, my dear”
”I?”
”Certainly You took the outline and checked off the things you wished Theo to take this year”
”You did, Father,” put in Theo
”When did I do it?”
”Oh, one day when you were on your way to a hospital ,”
answered the boy ”You were in a hurry, and you stood out in the hall and marked the list with your fountain-pen”
”Then I am heartily ashaht to do anything of the sort I should have sat down and put soht into the matter Do you suppose it would be too late, son, for you to change your course of study this tere it ive up any of the things I a, for I have worked hard at the to have my time all throay But perhaps now that I aht put those extra hours into so else So!” exclai is just e're after You would enjoy it, too”
”I don't knohether I would or not, Dad,” returned Theo frankly ”I never was ood with tools I like athletics better”
”That is because you have never learned to use tools properly,” said his father ”Where do you suppose I'd be now if I hadn't started out when I was a boy to tinker round a far, and there isn't a course in the country that can equal it I had to use s I needed were not to be had and I was forced to reat education, I can tell you! What skill I have at surgery I attribute largely to that early training Noe'll set right to work to remedy this lack in you, son I'll see your principal to-day and arrange for you to begin sloyd when you go back to school”
Theo hed
”If you don't like it you can at least take it as a rin