Hiram spoke in such a genial, mellow tone, that Frank was touched.
'Yes,' he replied; 'you have at least achieved wonders. Do you remember what mother used always to prophesy about you? It is fulfilled tenfold.'
'Poor mother!' sighed Hiram.
'Ah, yes! she was carried off very unexpectedly. What a vigorous constitution she had, to all appearance!'
'Do you know, Frank, they tell me I may look for a similar visitation at her age?'
'You? nonsense! Who has been filling your ears with such stuff?'
'Stuff or not, so I am advised seriously. What think you of it?'
Thus appealed to, Doctor Frank regarded his brother more critically.
'That is right,' said Hiram. 'Now that you are here, give me an examination.'
Doctor Frank thereupon asked several pertinent questions, to which satisfactory replies were made. He sounded Hiram's chest: it was responsive as a drum. Then he proceeded to manipulate him in a more professional way. He put his ear close down, and held it for a minute, to get the pulsation of the heart. This he repeated two or three times.