Chapter 5 ON
THE TRAILFew men, even fathers, realize how utterly inexperienced is the
average well-brought-up girl, just emerged from her teens, in the
affairs of the great mysterious world that lies about her. A boy,
in his youth living over again the history of his progenitors,
escapes his nurse to become an adventurer. At ten he is a pirate,
at twelve a train robber, at fourteen an aviator, actually living
in all his thoughts and experiences the life of his hero of the
moment, learning all the while that the world about him is full of
adventurers like himself, ready to dispute his claims at the
slightest pretext, or to carry off his booty by prevailing physical
force.
Well-brought-up girls seldom are fortunate enough to have such
educative experiences. Their friends are sel
