oliday?"

"I beg your pardon," said the professor mildly; "of course not."

"I haven't had one worth speaking of," continued Mr Burne, "for
nearly--no, quite thirty years, and all that time I've been in dingy
stuffy Sergeant's Inn, sir. Yes; we'll go travelling, professor, and
bring him back a man."

"It will kill him," cried Mrs Dunn fiercely, and ruffling up and coming
forward like an angry hen in defence of her solitary chick, the last the
rats had left.

The lawyer sounded his trumpet, as if summoning his forces to a charge.

"I say he shall not go."

"Mrs Dunn," began the professor blandly.

"Stop!" cried the lawyer; "send for Doctor Shorter."

"But he has been, sir," remonstrated Mrs Dunn.

"Then let him come again, ma'am. He shall have his fee," cried the
lawyer; "send at once."

Mrs Dunn's lips parted to utter a protest, but the lawyer literally
drove her from the room, and then turned back, taking snuff
outrageously, to where the professor was now seated beside the sick lad.

"That's routing the enemy," cried the lawyer fiercely. "Why, confound
the woman! She told me that the doctor said he ought to be taken to a
milder clime."

"But do you really mean, Mr Burne, that, supposing the doctor gives his
consent, you would accompany us abroad?"

"To be sure I do, sir, and I mean to make myself as unpleasant as I can.
I've a right to do so, haven't I."

"Of course," said the professor coldly.

"And I've a right to make myself jolly if I like, haven't I, sir?"

"Certainly," replied the professor, gazing intently at the fierce
grizzled little man before him, and wondering how much he spent a-year
in snuff.

"It will not cost you anything, and I shall not charge my expenses to
the estate, any more than I shall let you charge yours, sir."

"Of course not, sir," said the professor more coldly still, and
beginning to frown.

"You shall pay your expenses, I'll pay mine, and young Lawrence here
shall pay his; and I tell you what, sir, we three will have a thoroughly
good outing. We'll take it easy, and we'll travel just where you like,
and while you make notes, Lawrence here and I will fish and run about
and catch butterflies, eh? Hang it, I haven't caught a butterfly these
three or four and thirty years, and I think it's time I had a try. Eh,
what are you laughing at, sir?"

Lawrence Grange's laugh was low and feeble, but it brightened up his sad
face, and was contagious, for it made the pro