The girl with the attentive smile solved the mystery. She called across the room.
“Oh, Bernice, do come over here. You simply must hear Mr. Mullett imitate a trained seal!”
Hervey Deyo felt actually ill. So that was the secret of Mr. Mullett’s powers; that was the magnet!
“Norrrrrrrrr. Norrrrrk. Wurrrr. Wurrrr.”
Hervey Deyo couldn’t stand it. Stiffly he went out and as he took his hat and stick he could still hear the laughter and the fainter,
“Norrrrrrrrr. Norrrrrk. Wurrrr. Wurrrr.”
In a fury of disgust he went to his laboratory and so violently stuffed a grackle (Euphagus Ferrugineus) that it burst.
Next day he realized that something annoying had happened, was happening to him; he could not keep his mind on his work; it kept straying, despite him, to the little girl with the attentive smile. She had been interested in his talk of birds until the accomplished Mr. Mullett, imitator of trained seals, had made his untimely appearance. His teeth gritted together at the thought.
That afternoon he surprised his mother by suggesting that he accompany her to a tea; she was glad his social consciousness seemed to be aroused at last. They went.
“Who is Mr. Mullett?” he asked her as they rode tea-ward in her motor car, a product of the seriousness applied by Mr. Deyo, senior, to his brick business.