a magistrate."

"Yes, of course," said the doctor uneasily.

"Well, then, I want to have a few words with you about those two boys."

The doctor nodded.

"Your groom is with your _protege_, and your old gardener has that other
young scoundrel in charge."

"In charge?" said the doctor.

"Yes; you may call it so. I told him not to lose sight of the young
rascal, and I also told your groom to exercise the same supervision over
the other."

"But surely, my dear Danby, you do not mean to--"

"Deal with them as I would with any other offender? Why not?"

The doctor had no answer ready, so Sir James went on--

"I valued that boat very highly, and certainly I've got it back--with
the exception of the stains upon the cushions--very little the worse.
But this was a serious theft, almost as bad as horse-stealing, and I
shall have to make an example of them."

"But one of them has been terribly punished," said the doctor eagerly.

"Pooh! not half enough, sir. Come, Grayson, of course this has
completely cured you of your mad folly!"

"My mad folly!" cried the doctor excitedly. "May I ask you what you
mean?"

"Now, my dear Grayson, pray don't be angry. I only say, as an old
friend and neighbour, surely you must be ready to agree that your wild
idea of making a gentleman out of this boy--one of the dregs of our
civilisation--is an impossibility?"

"Nothing of the sort, sir," cried the doctor angrily. "I never felt
more certain of the correctness of my ideas."

"Tut--tut--tut--tut!" ejaculated Sir James. "Really, Grayson, this is
too much."

"Too much, sir? Nothing of the kind. A boyish escapade. Nothing
more."

"Well!" said Sir James drily, "when such cases as this are brought
before us at the bench, we are in the habit of calling them thefts."

"Theft: pooh! No, no!" cried the doctor stubbornly. "A boyish prank.
He would have sent the boat back."

"Would he?" said Sir James drily. "I suppose you think his companion
would have done the same?"

"I have nothing to do with the other boy," said the doctor shortly. "It
was a most unfortunate thing that Dexter should have made his
acquaintance."

"Birds of a feather flock together, my dear Grayson," said Sir James.

"Nothing of the kind, sir. It was my fault," cried the doctor. "I
neglected to let the boy have suitable companions of his own age; and
the consequence was that he listened to this young scoundrel, and
allowed himself to be led aw