Doctor Proctor laughed. "And take his temperature too, eh? No, I don't expect you to do that, George. But I'll tell you what I would do, and I'd do it tomorrow too. I'd call around and see Gilbert. I'd tell him that I wasn't satisfied with the explanation he'd made and I'd ask him to make a clean breast of the trouble, for he must be in some trouble or he wouldn't thank you for firing him. And then I'd stop cutting off my nose to spite my face and I'd reinstate him tomorrow afternoon!"
"Hmph! The trouble with you doctors is that you're too romantic. You imagine things, you——"
"We have to imagine, George. If we stuck to facts we'd never get anywhere in our profession! You try a little imagination, old chap. You're too matter-of-fact. What you can't see you won't believe in."
"I certainly won't! As the kids say, seeing's believing."
"Well, there's a very unattractive board fence across the road, George. On the other side of it there are shrubs and grass. I can't see them, but I know they're there."
"More likely tin-cans and ashes," grunted Mr. Robey.
"Pessimist!" laughed the other. "But never mind; ashes or grass, something's there, and you can't see it and yet you've got to acknowledge the existence of it. Now haven't you?"
"I suppose so, but"—Mr. Robey laughed—"I'd rather see it!"
"Climb the fence and have a look then! But you'll try my plan with the boy, won't you?"
"Yes, I will. If only to satisfy my curiosity, Gus. Hang it, the chap can't be a quitter!"