g a similar compliment from Dean in
return, while Sir James threw himself back in his chair, frowned
severely as he stared straight out of the wide open window, and then
twitched himself about, changing his position again and again as if his
seat were not comfortable.

A strange silence had fallen on the group, and it was as if three of the
four individuals present were suffering from a desire to turn a
questioning look upon their companions, but dared not for fear of
interrupting Sir James in the deep thoughts which were evidently playing
about in his brain and filling his frank, florid, John-Bull-like
countenance with wrinkles.

During the space of perhaps two minutes the silence deepened, till all
at once from somewhere in the stableyard there was a loud, whack, whack,
whack, whack as of wings beating together, and then sharp and clear,
defiant and victorious, as if a battle had been won--_Cock-a-doodle-do_!

"Hah!" ejaculated Sir James, starting upright in his chair, as if
awakened out of a dream, and turning towards the doctor as if to speak,
but only to check himself again. "Oh, absurd!" he quite shouted. "No,
no, no, no; impossible; impossible! It could not be. No, no, doctor.
You set me thinking and asking myself questions about why not, and all
that sort of rubbish. Why, sir, for the first time since our
acquaintance began, you have been playing the tempter, and nearly won,
what with your litters and palanquins and ponies. No, sir; it's
impossible."

"I say, Mark," said Dean, in a loud whisper, "didn't uncle once say that
there was hardly such a word as impossible for a man or boy with a
will?"

"Silence, sir!" cried Sir James angrily.

"I say, dad," said Mark, closing up to his father's chair and leaning
upon his shoulder, "I said I wouldn't go unless you did."

"Yes, sir," cried his father fiercely, "and if you dare to let me hear
you utter such insubordinate words again I'll--"

The boy leaned over to look him full in the eyes, and gazed at him
firmly, and the others saw him move his lips in a slow, deliberate way
as if he were saying something emphatically; and then he drew himself up
and seemed to intensify his gaze.

"Well, baby," cried Sir James, "what do you mean by those dumb motions?
Speak out."

Mark shook his head and tightened his lips, compressing them into a long
line across the bottom of his face, the curve disappearing and a couple
of dot-like dimples forming at either end.