CHAPTER VII.
A SCHOOL FRIEND Early Monday morning it had been the custom for Frank and Mark to take the train for Bridgeville, to enter upon a new week at the academy.
Frank felt that it would be better for him to go back without any further vacation, as occupation would serve to keep him from brooding over his loss.
"Are you ready, Mark ?" he asked, as he rose from the breakfast table.
"Ready for what ?" "To go back to school, of course." "I am not going back this morning," answered Mark.
"Why not ?" asked Frank, in some surprise.
"I am going to stay at home to help father," said Mark, with a glance at Mr.Manning.
"If I can be of any service to you, sir, I will stay, too," said Frank, politely.
"Thank you, but Mark will do all I require," replied his stepfather.
"Very well, sir." Frank appeared at the academy with a grave face and subdued manner, suggestive of the great loss he had sustained.

From his schoolfellows, with whom he was a favorite, he received many words of sympathy--from none more earnest or sincere than from Herbert Grant.
"I know how you feel, Frank," he said, pressing the hand of his friend.
"If I could comfort you I would, but I don't know how to do it." "I find comfort in your sympathy," said Frank.

"I look upon you as my warmest friend here." "I am glad of that, Frank." To Herbert alone Frank spoke of his mother and her devoted affection; but even to him he did not like to mention the will and his disinheritance.

He did not so much lament the loss of the property as that he had lost it by the direction of his mother, or, rather, because it would generally be supposed so.
For himself, he doubted the genuineness of the will, but he felt that it was useless to speak of it, as he was unprepared with any proofs.
So it happened that when, on Wednesday afternoon Mark Manning made his appearance, Frank's change of position, as respected the property, was neither known nor suspected by his schoolfellows.

It was soon known, however, and of course, through Mark.
The boys immediately noticed a change in Mark.