"Humph!" said the Old Doctor. "I expected of course that she'd think me
changed a good deal. I've grown stout. 'Healthy' she called it.--She
thought I looked 'very healthy'!" The Old Doctor shifted his feet. He
twitched at a newspaper on the table. "That Austrian gentlemen with her
isn't her Husband," he said. "She's a--she's a widow now.--It's her
Husband's brother."

"Really?" said my Father.

"Oh _Thunder_!" said the Old Doctor. "I guess perhaps I spoke a little
bit hastily when I was here before--about their ruining the
Village!--I've been talking a bit with Annie and--" His face turned
quite red suddenly. He laughed a little. "There won't be any changes
made at present in the old Dun Vorlees place--I imagine.--Not at present
anyhow."

He looked over at us. We scrunched our eyes perfectly tight.

"Asleep," he said. He picked up our Book. He tucked it under his arm. He
looked at my Father and Mother. "It's quite time," he said, "that you
started a Bank Account for these children's college education.--It costs
a great deal to send children to college nowadays. Carol will surely
want a lot of baseball bats.--And girls I know are forever needing
bonnets!" He took two Big Gold Pieces from his pocket and put them down
on the table where our Book had been. They looked very shining.

My Father gave a little gasp. He jumped up! He started to argue!

My Mother hushed him with her hand. "S--sh----not to-night!" she
whispered. "Not to-night!"

She looked at the Old Doctor. She looked at our Book all hugged up tight
under his arm. Her eyes looked as though they were going to cry. But her
mouth looked as though it was going to laugh.

"Oh of course--if it's in the Cause of Science," she said. "If it's in
the Cause of Science."

THE LITTLE DOG WHO COULDN'T SLEEP

It was our Uncle Peter who sent us the little piece of paper.

It was a piece of paper torn out of that part of a newspaper where
people tell what they want if they've got money enough to pay for it.

This is what it said:

"WANTED a little dog who can't sleep to be night companion
for a little boy who can't sleep. Will pay fifty dollars."

Our Uncle Peter sent it to my Father and told him to give it to us.

"Your children know so many dogs," he said.

"Not--fifty dollars' worth," said my Father. He said it with points in
his eyes.

"Oh--I'm not so sure," said my Mother. She said it with just a little
smile in her voice.

It wa