But Perry found himself unable to accept this invitation. The course he had been pursuing had undermined his health, and the excitement and shame of the last day or two had quite used up his strength. He lay upon the lounge, with throbbing head and fever pulse. By the following morning, Mrs. Morse was thoroughly alarmed, and would have a physician.
Mr. Morse said, "Very well. If you are anxious, I'll send up Dr. Maxwell."
"I don't want Dr. Maxwell," said Perry, overhearing the remark. "I'll have Dr. Myers, if anybody. Dr. Max. is fussy."
"Well, you won't have Dr. Myers, I can assure you," replied Mr. Morse.
"Dr. Maxwell is our family physician," said Mrs. Morse soothingly. "It would not be treating him well to call any one else."
"I don't know why," said Perry. "If I like Dr. Myers better, I should think I might have him."
"The things you like don't always happen to be the best," replied Mr. Morse significantly, as he closed the door after him.
An hour after this, Dr. Maxwell made his visit. He found his patient sullen and silent. Surprised, he turned to the mother for an explanation.
Embarrassed and pained, Mrs. Morse said hesitatingly, "The truth is, Perry took a freak into his head to want Dr. Myers, and I have not been able to reason it out of him."
"Of course not," returned the kindly old doctor. "He is not in a state to be reasoned with. Why in the world wasn't Dr. Myers called?"