the first and second lines."

Aubrey turned to the place. He read, and smiled.

"Right you are," he said.

"Read it!" they all cried.

"To seduce the Protector's guard, to blow up the Protector in his
bedroom, and do other little fiddling things."

"I shouldn't wonder if that's where he got his idea," said Roger.
"What have I been saying right along--that books aren't merely dead
things!"

"Good gracious," said Titania. "You told me that books are explosives.
You were right, weren't you! But it's lucky Mr. Gilbert didn't hear
you say it or he'd certainly have suspected you!"

"The joke is on me," said Roger.

"Well, I'VE got a toast to propose," said Titania. "Here's to the
memory of Bock, the dearest, bravest dog I ever met!"

They drank it with due gravity.

"Well, good people," said Mr. Chapman, "there's nothing we can do for
Bock now. But we can do something for the rest of us. I've been
talking with Titania, Mr. Mifflin. I'm bound to say that after this
disaster my first thought was to get her out of the book business as
fast as I could. I thought it was a little too exciting for her. You
know I sent her over here to have a quiet time and calm down a bit.
But she wouldn't hear of leaving. And if I'm going to have a family
interest in the book business I want to do something to justify it. I
know your idea about travelling book-wagons, and taking literature into
the countryside. Now if you and Mrs. Mifflin can find the proper
people to run them, I'll finance a fleet of ten of those Parnassuses
you're always talking about, and have them built in time to go on the
road next spring. How about it?"

Roger and Helen looked at each other, and at Mr. Chapman. In a flash
Roger saw one of his dearest dreams coming true. Titania, to whom this
was a surprise, leaped from her chair and ran to kiss her father,
crying, "Oh, Daddy, you ARE a darling!"

Roger rose solemnly and gave Mr. Chapman his hand.

"My dear sir," he said, "Miss Titania has found the right word. You
are an honour to human nature, sir, and I hope you'll never live to
regret it. This is the happiest moment of my life."

"Then that's settled," said Mr. Chapman. "We'll go over the details
later. Now there's another thing on my mind. Perhaps I shouldn't
bring up business matters here, but this is a kind of family party--Mr.
Gilbert, it's my duty to inform you that I intend to take my
advertising out of the hands of the Grey-Mat