e's so determined."

By fine degrees Ripton ventured to grow circumstantial, saying that
Richard's case was urgent and required immediate medical advice; and
that both he and his father were of opinion Richard should not lose an
hour in obtaining it.

"He's alarmed about himself," said Ripton, and tapped his chest.

Hippias protested he had never heard a word from his nephew of any
physical affliction.

"He was afraid of making you anxious, I think, sir."

Algernon Feverel and Richard came in while he was hammering at the
alphabet to recollect the first letter of the doctor's name. They had
met in the hall below, and were laughing heartily as they entered the
room. Ripton jumped up to get the initiative.

"Have you seen the doctor?" he asked, significantly plucking at
Richard's fingers.

Richard was all abroad at the question.

Algernon clapped him on the back. "What the deuce do you want with
doctor, boy?"

The solid thump awakened him to see matters as they were. "Oh, ay! the
doctor!" he said, smiling frankly at his lieutenant. "Why, he tells me
he'd back me to do Milo's trick in a week from the present day.--Uncle,"
he came forward to Hippias, "I hope you'll excuse me for running off as
I did. I was in a hurry. I left something at the railway. This stupid
Rip thinks I went to the doctor about myself. The fact was, I wanted to
fetch the doctor to see you here--so that you might have no trouble, you
know. You can't bear the sight of his instruments and skeletons--I've
heard you say so. You said it set all your marrow in revolt--'fried
your marrow,' I think were the words, and made you see twenty thousand
different ways of sliding down to the chambers of the Grim King. Don't
you remember?"

Hippias emphatically did not remember, and he did not believe the
story. Irritation at the mad ravishment of his pill-box rendered him
incredulous. As he had no means of confuting his nephew, all he could do
safely to express his disbelief in him, was to utter petulant remarks
on his powerlessness to appear at the dinner-table that day: upon
which--Berry just then trumpeting dinner--Algernon seized one arm of the
Dyspepsy, and Richard another, and the laughing couple bore him into the
room where dinner was laid, Ripton sniggering in the rear, the really
happy man of the party.

They had fun at the dinner-table. Richard would have it; and his gaiety,
his by-play, his princely superiority to truth and heroic promise of
o