“In charge?” said the doctor.
“Yes; you may call it so. I told him not to lose sight of the young rascal, and I also told your groom to exercise the same supervision over the other.”
“But surely, my dear Danby, you do not mean to—”
“Deal with them as I would with any other offender? Why not?”
The doctor had no answer ready, so Sir James went on—
“I valued that boat very highly, and certainly I’ve got it back—with the exception of the stains upon the cushions—very little the worse. But this was a serious theft, almost as bad as horse-stealing, and I shall have to make an example of them.”
“But one of them has been terribly punished,” said the doctor eagerly.
“Pooh! not half enough, sir. Come, Grayson, of course this has completely cured you of your mad folly!”
“My mad folly!” cried the doctor excitedly. “May I ask you what you mean?”
“Now, my dear Grayson, pray don’t be angry. I only say, as an old friend and neighbour, surely you must be ready to agree that your wild idea of making a gentleman out of this boy—one of the dregs of our civilisation—is an impossibility?”