“Oh, you are a yarner, are you?”

“Yes,” admitted David modestly. “Aunt M’ri thinks I will be a writer when I grow up, but I think I should like to be a lawyer.”

“David,” asked the Judge abruptly, “did 81 Miss Brumble tell you to give me those roses?”

With a wild flashing of eyes the Dunne temper awoke, and the boy’s under jaw shot forward.

“No!” he answered fiercely. “She didn’t know that I know––”

He paused in mid-channel of such deep waters.

“That you know what?” demanded the Judge in his cross-examining tone.

David was doubtful of the consequences of his temerity, but he stood his ground.

“I can’t tell you what, because I promised not to. Some one was just thinking out loud, and I overheard.”

There was silence for a moment.