John T. Unger came from a well-known family in Hades, a small town on the Mississippi River. He was sixteen and his parents wanted him to have a good New England education. They decided to send him to St Midas' School near Boston. Hades was too small for their clever son.

Mrs. Unger packed her son's trunks and Mr Unger gave him a lot of money.

"Remember, you're always welcome back here," he said.

"I know," said John.

"Don't forget who you are and where you come from," said his father proudly. I "You are an Unger from Hades."

John was crying as he walked away. As he was leaving the city he looked back at Hades for the last time.

St Midas' School is half an hour from Boston and it was the most expensive and most exclusive boys' preparatory school in the world.

John's first two years went well. The fathers of all the boys were very rich and John spent his summers visiting his classmates in their fashionable holiday homes.

In the middle of his second year at school, a quiet, handsome boy named Percy Washington joined John's class. The new student was pleasant and very well dressed: it was obvious that he came from a very rich family. Percy and John immediately became friends. In fact, John was Percy's only friend as Percy did not want to make friends with the other boys. But even with John, Percy was reserved and he did not talk about his home or family. So when John was invited to spend the summer at Percy's home "in the West", John was surprised but he accepted happily.

Percy started talking about his family when they were on the train.

"My father," said Percy, "is the richest man in the world."

"Oh," said John politely. He could think of no other answer.

"The richest," repeated Percy.

"I read that there was a man in America who earned five million dollars a year. And four other men who earned more than three million dollars a year."

"Oh, they're nothing," said Percy. "My father could buy everything they have."

"Goodness," said John, "he must be very rich. I'm glad. I like very rich people. I visited the Schnlitzer-Murphys last Easter. Vivian Schnlitzer-Murphy had jewels as big as chickens' eggs."

"I love jewels," said Percy enthusiastically. "Of course, I don't want anyone at school to know about it, but I have quite a big collection. I collect them instead of stamps."

"And diamonds," continued John. "The Schnlitzer-Murphys had diamonds as big as walnuts."