'Haud ye at it, man,' said Robert, as if from the heights of age and experience, 'and maybe ye will be a gentleman some day.'
'Is 't poassible, Robert? A crater like me grow intil a gentleman?' said Shargar, with wide eyes.
'What for no?' returned Robert.
'Eh, man!' said Shargar.
He stood up, sat down again, and was silent.
'For ae thing,' resumed Robert, after a pause, during which he had been pondering upon the possibilities of Shargar's future—'for ae thing, I doobt whether Dr. Anderson wad hae ta'en ony fash aboot ye, gin he hadna thocht ye had the makin' o' a gentleman i' ye.'
'Eh, man!' said Shargar.
He stood up again, sat down again, and was finally silent.
Next day Robert went to see Dr. Anderson, and told him about Ericson. The doctor shook his head, as doctors have done in such cases from Æsculapius downwards. Robert pressed no further questions.
'Will he be taken care of where he is?' asked the doctor.