CHAPTER XX

A CRISIS

In response to Will’s eager questions, Mr. Phelps explained that he had come to Winthrop to satisfy himself as to the exact status as to the fever that had broken out.  Before he had come up to Will’s room he had consulted the college officials and now felt that he was in a position to decide calmly what must be done by his son.

“And what’s the verdict?” inquired Will.

“It will not be necessary for you to return.  I think everything is being done that ought to be and though we shall be anxious, still I am not unduly alarmed.  I have confidence in you, Will, and I am sure you will not be careless in a time like this.  The president informs me that there have not been any new cases since the first outbreak, and he is of the opinion that all these cases were due to one cause and that was found outside of the village.”

“Then you don’t want me to go home with you?” inquired Will quizzically.

“What I might ‘want’ and what is best are two different matters,” said his father with a smile, “Just at present what I want and what you need happen to be one and the same thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Your Greek.”

Will’s face clouded and then unmindful of the others who were in the room he told his father of his recent interview with his professor of Greek.  The smile of amusement on the face of Mr. Phelps when Will began soon gave way to an expression of deep concern.  To Will, who understood him so thoroughly, it was evident that his father was angry as well as disappointed, and for a moment there was a feeling of exultation in his own heart.  Now something would be done, he felt confident, and the injustice under which he was laboring and suffering would be done away.

“Your other work is all right, Will?” inquired his father after a brief silence.

“Oh, yes!  Fine!  If old Splinter was only half the man that Professor Sinclair is, there wouldn’t be a bit of trouble.  Why the recitation in Latin never seems to be more than fifteen minutes long.  But the Greek—­bah!  The hour is like a week of Sundays!”

“Still, Will, there is only one way out of it for you.”

“I suppose so,” responded Will, his heart sinking as he spoke.

“Yes, it must be faced.  I know it’s hard, but you can’t get around it, Will, and I’m sure you don’t want to run from it.  As I told you, it isn’t as if your Greek professor was the only one of his kind you will meet in life, for his name is legion and you will find him everywhere.  The only thing for you to do is to keep on with your tutor and prove yourself to be the master.  If you do that, the experience, hard as it is, may prove to be one of the best that could come to you.”

Will was silent for a moment before he spoke, and then he said impulsively, “Well, pop, I suppose you are right.  I’ll do my best.”