fourth of Mr. John Phillipson, sometime alderman and
shipowner of Harwich. Though rudely modelled, the majority received
an extremely lifelike appearance from their colouring, which was
renewed every now and then under the Captain's own supervision.
He asserted them to be beautiful, and his acquaintances were content
with the qualification that to an unwarned visitor, in an uncertain
light, they might be disconcerting.

To this paradise Captain Barker introduced his newly adopted son,
with the wet-nurse that the Doctor had found for him: and after
explaining matters to Narcissus--who had heard of the _Wasp's_
arrival in port and had been vaguely troubled by a long conversation
with Simeon, next door--installed the new-comers in the two rooms
under the roof of the pavilion and sat down to meditate and wait for
the child's development.

On the fourth morning after the installation, Narcissus appeared and
demanded a higher wage. This was granted.

On the sixth morning, Narcissus appeared again.

"That there nurse--" he began.

"What of her?"

"As touching that there nurse, your instructions were to feed her
up."

"Well?"

"I've fed her up."

"Well?"

"She's ate till she's sick."

The Captain sent post-haste for Dr. Beckerleg.

"That woman's green with bile," the Doctor announced. "You've been
over-feeding her."

"I did it to strengthen the child."

"No doubt; but this sort of woman will eat all that's put before her.
Lower her diet."

This was done. The woman recovered in a couple of days and resigned
her place at once, declaring she was starved.

A second wet-nurse was sought for and found. The child thrived, was
weaned, and began to cut his teeth without any trouble to mention.
Twice a day Captain Barker visited his nursery and studied him
attentively.

"I'll own that I'm boggled," he confessed to Dr. Beckerleg.
"You see, a child is the offspring of his parents."

"That is undeniable!" the Doctor answered.

"And science now asserts that he inherits his parents' aptitudes:
therefore, to train him _secundum naturam_, I must discover these
aptitudes and educate or check them."

"Decidedly."

"Well, but his mother was an angel, and his father the dirtiest scamp
that ever cheated the halter."

"I should advise you to strike a mean. What of the child himself?"

"He does nothing but eat."

"It appears to me that, striking a mean between the two extremes you
mention, we arrive at mere m