troops was mingled with the hammering of the large tea-tray, the ringing
of the dinner-bell, and the beating of the gong, you may fancy what the
noise was. In the midst of it there was a hideous crash, accompanied by
screams of alarm that were too genuine to be mistaken. I rushed up, and
found the furniture lying scattered over the room, with darling Dolly in
the midst, the others standing in solemn silence around, and Robin
Slidder sitting on the ground ruefully rubbing his head.

"The truth was that the particular chair had been pulled away before the
proper time, and the castle had come down in ruins while the ogre and
princess were still on the top of it. Fortunately Robin saved Dolly, at
the expense of his own head and shoulder, by throwing his arms round her
and falling undermost; but it was a narrow escape, and you really must
put a stop to such reckless ongoings."

The doctor promised to do so.

"I have to send Robin a message this forenoon, and will administer a
rebuke before sending him," he said; but it was plain, from the smile on
the doctor's face, that the rebuke would not be severe.

"Robin," he said, with much solemnity, when the culprit stood before
him, "take this bottle of medicine to Mr Williams; you know--the old
place--and say I want to know how he is, and that I will call to-morrow
afternoon."

"Yes, sir," said the boy, taking the bottle with an unusually subdued
air.

"And Robin--stop," continued the doctor. "I am told that the children
were visited by an ogre last night."

"Yes, sir," answered the boy, with an uncertain glance at his
questioner's grave face.

"Well, Robin, you know where that ogre lives. Just call and tell him
from me that if he or any of his relations ever come here again I'll
cause them to undergo extraction of the spinal marrow, d'you
understand?"

At first little Slidder felt inclined to laugh, but the doctor's face
was so unusually stern that he thought better of it, and went away much
impressed.

Now Robin Slidder was no loiterer on his errands, nevertheless he did
not deem it a breach of fidelity to cast an occasional glance into a
picture-shop window, or to pause a few seconds now and then to chaff a
facetious cabby, or make a politely sarcastic remark to a bobby. His
connection with what he termed "'igh life" had softened him down
considerably, and given a certain degree of polish to his wit, but it
had in no degree repressed his exuberant spirits.