else why am I here?"

The Professor relinquished his chase, to stare again. "You are at least
sincere in your belief in yourself--twenty-three. I'd like to hear some
of these great ideas of yours."

"Very well. I am going to read a play to your daughter this evening. If
you care to come, you may listen. Then you will see that it would pay
you to stake me for a couple of years."

"I'll come and listen."

"If you decide to undertake me, I insist that you shall not continue
this scornful avoidance of me. If we three are to live together, we must
live in harmony, which is necessary to my work."

"Whose favour is this, yours or mine?"

"Favour? Good heavens! you don't think it is a favour to give me food
and a roof for two years, do you? I thought it was an opportunity
for you."

The Professor, not easily moved to mirth, did an imitation of laughter,
holding both his sides. Jarvis turned his charming, boyish smile upon
him, and walked up the path to the house. Strange what things amused
Bambi and her parent!

That night, after dinner, Bambi arranged the electric reading light in
the screened porch, drew a big chair beside it, placed the Professor's
favourite chaise-lounge near by, and got him into it. Then she went in
search of her performer. She looked all over the house for him, to
finally discover him on the top floor in hiding.

"Come on! I've got everything all ready, even the Professor."

"I am terrified," Jarvis admitted. "Suppose you should not understand
what I have written? Suppose you thought it was all rubbish?"

"If I think so, I will say so. Isn't that the idea? You are trying it on
the dog to see if it goes?"

"If you think it is rubbish, don't say anything."

"How silly! If you are spending your time on trash, you ought to know
it, and get over it, and begin to write sense."

"I feel like one of the Professor's slugs," he muttered.

"Better try us on the simplest one."

"Well, I will read you 'Success.'"

She ran downstairs, and he followed, to the piazza.

There was no sign of the Professor.

"Ardelia," called Bambi, "where is the Professor?"

"I don't know, ma'am. I seen him headed for the garden."

"Professor Parkhurst, come in here!" Bambi called. "We are to hear
Jarvis's play."

"Oh, that is it. I couldn't remember why I was placed in that chair, and
Ardelia couldn't remember. So it occurred to me that I had forgotten my
trowel," he said. He put the trowel, absent-mindedly, i