'I am his friend,' said Dickie, with dignity.
'Then your friendship must not disturb him over his letters. And can you sit in the carriage and twirl your thumbs while I am at Fordham?'
'I shall not twirl my thumbs. I shall make out a problem on my ship chess-board.'
'That's the boy who was sent from the Antipodes, that he might not be spoilt!' quoth Aubrey, as the Doctor followed the child into the carriage.
'Granting reasonable wishes is not spoiling,' said Ethel.
'May the system succeed as well with Dickie as with—' and Aubrey in one flourish indicated Gertrude and himself.
'Ay, we shall judge by the reception of Ethel's tidings!' cried Gertrude. 'Now for it, Ethel. Read us Tom's letter, confute the engineer, hoist with his own petard.'
'Now, Ethel, confute the Daisy, the green field daisy—the simple innocent daisy, deluded by "Diseases of Climate."'
'Ethel looks as concerned as if it were fatal truth,' added Gertrude.
'What is it?' asked Aubrey. 'If Henry Ward has gone down in a monitor at Charleston, I'll forgive him.'