Professor seated himself at the luncheon-table with an air of
importance. He was twelve years old, but he might have been taken for six,
or even for three, he looked so wise. The children's nurse poured herself
out a cup of tea. The teapot was too full, and a large drop fell upon the
shining mahogany table. The Professor looked at the drop with evident
pleasure.

"Stop, nurse!" he cried, as she was about to wipe it up with her napkin.
"Let's see who can take up that tea without touching it, and leave the
table dry!"

"Thuck it up," said Pip.

"Mamma doesn't like you to drink tea," said nurse.

"Besides, that would be touching it," said Tom.

"Take it up with a thpoon," said Pip.

"You couldn't do it; it would spread all over," said the Professor.

"And that would be touching it just as much," said Bob.

"Don't fink it can be done!" said Pip, shaking her head.

"All shut your eyes," said the Professor. "You, nurse, shut yours, too.
Don't any of you look."

Nurse shut both her eyes, hard. Pip put her two fat little fists into her
eyes, and listened. Tom laid his head down sideways on the table, and
curled his arms round it. Bob declared that he wouldn't shut his eyes; he
was going to see that the Professor acted fair.

"Now open your eyes," said the Professor.

They all looked up, and there stood the sage, who had covered the drop
with a little blue bowl. He lifted the bowl, and, on the spot where had
been the drop of tea, stood a lump of loaf-sugar holding up the tea in its
paws, or pores, whichever you please.

Nurse picked up the lump of sugar and ate it. The table was as dry as a
bone.

"Oh, my!" said Pip.

* * *

The Professor walked over to the window.

"Oh, nurse!" said he, "why don't you make Bridget wash this paint off the
glass?"

"She has tried to get it off," said nurse, "but she can't do it."

"What loths of little thpots!" said Pip.

"What careless fellows those painters were!" said Tom.

"Who knows how to get it off?" said the Professor.

"Take a thpunge and thum thope," said Pip.

"'T wont do," said nurse; "Bridget has tried."

"Oh, I know!" said Bob. "Kerosene!"

"Thath dangeruth," said Pip, "and thmells bad, bethides."

"Nurse," said the Professor, "what will you give me if I will show you how
to take it off?"

"I'll give you a cent," said nurse.

"Give me a cent and I'll do it," said the Professor. "But I must be paid
in advance." He took the cent.