en stricken with a fit of trembling or a sense of
apprehension, or even fear, at the thought of having faced the terrible
Demon of Electricity, of having struck the Master Key of the world's
greatest natural forces, and finding himself possessed of three such
wonderful and useful gifts. But a boy takes everything as a matter of
course. As the tree of knowledge sprouts and expands within him,
shooting out leaf after leaf of practical experience, the succession of
surprises dulls his faculty of wonderment. It takes a great deal to
startle a boy.

Rob was full of delight at his unexpected good fortune; but he did not
stop to consider that there was anything remarkably queer or uncanny in
the manner in which it had come to him. His chief sensation was one of
pride. He would now be able to surprise those who had made fun of his
electrical craze and force them to respect his marvelous powers. He
decided to say nothing about the Demon or the accidental striking of
the Master Key. In exhibiting to his friends the electrical devices he
had acquired it would be "no end of fun" to mark their amazement and
leave them to guess how he performed his feats.

So he put his treasures into his pocket, locked his workshop and went
downstairs to his room to prepare for dinner.

While brushing his hair he remembered it was no longer necessary for
him to eat ordinary food. He was feeling quite hungry at that moment,
for he had a boy's ravenous appetite; but, taking the silver box from
his pocket, he swallowed a tablet and at once felt his hunger as fully
satisfied as if he had partaken of a hearty meal, while at the same
time he experienced an exhilarating glow throughout his body and a
clearness of brain and gaiety of spirits which filled him with intense
gratification.

Still, he entered the dining-room when the bell rang and found his
father and mother and sisters already assembled there.

"Where have you been all day, Robert?" inquired his mother.

"No need to ask," said Mr. Joslyn, with a laugh. "Fussing over
electricity, I'll bet a cookie!"

"I do wish," said the mother, fretfully, "that he would get over that
mania. It unfits him for anything else."

"Precisely," returned her husband, dishing the soup; "but it fits him
for a great career when he becomes a man. Why shouldn't he spend his
summer vacation in pursuit of useful knowledge instead of romping
around like ordinary boys?"

"No soup, thank you," said Rob.