Herrick stared. This sounded like the ravings of a lunatic. "There are no such things as fairies," he said roughly.
"I have seen them," replied Sidney obstinately, "but we will not talk of them Dr. Jim. You would not believe me if I told you what I have seen."
"See here Sydney," said Herrick after a pause, "I believe you do see things in a way. You have a most vivid imagination and a strong poetic temperament. The way in which you described India shows me that. I believe you think of these queer things so much that you make yourself see them--a kind of hallucination. If you ate meat and took to sport, these unhealthy visions would pass away."
"I daresay," replied Sidney indifferently. He apparently did not wish to argue the matter. But he held to his own opinion nevertheless. There were a few moments of silence, then the boy exclaimed. "It is coming nearer--the danger to Stephen. Dr. Jim! Let us go to Biffstead. I am sure there is danger."
Herrick the materialist however, would not give way on this point. He thought it would be weak for him to yield to the boy's folly. "Nonsense," he said roughly. "You are giving way to your imagination. Nothing can happen to Stephen. If there is danger," he added in a joking manner, to make Sidney ashamed of himself, "why don't you go to sleep and see what it is? There is the sofa."
"No! I feel wide awake, and yet I feel--I feel," Sidney clenched his hand.
Herrick reflected for a moment. Santiago had said that the boy was clairvoyant, and could see visions in any shining surface or in a blob of ink. There was a large silver ink pot on the table. More as a joke than in earnest, Herrick pushed this across to Sidney. "Look there and see what is the matter," he said.
Sidney looked offended. "If you do not believe me, you need not laugh," he declared. "I shall go to Biffstead myself. It is eleven o'clock. Quite time I was home."
"No! No! Look in the ink first," said Herrick, now much more in earnest. He really wished to see if the vivid imagination of the boy would see a picture in the black pool. "Have you ever looked into a crystal Sidney."
"No, I can see things without looking into anything."