some of his schoolfellows
may have--eh?" he said aloud.

"My dear sir," exclaimed the Doctor, "quite out of the question!"

"Do you think so?" said Paul, not being able to resist the suggestion.
"And yet, do you know, some of them did not appear to me to look
very--very good-natured, now."

"A more manly, pleasant, and gentlemanly set of youths never breathed!"
said the Doctor, taking up the cudgels for his boys, and, to do him
justice, probably with full measure of belief in his statement. "Curious
now that they should have struck you so differently!"

"They certainly did strike me very differently," said Paul. "But I may
be mistaken."

"You are, my dear sir. And, pardon me, but you had no opportunity of
testing your opinion."

"Oh, pardon me," retorted Paul grimly, "I had indeed!"

"A cursory visit," said the Doctor, "a formal inspection--you cannot
fairly judge boys by that. They will naturally be reserved and
constrained in the presence of an elder. But you should observe them
without their knowledge--you want to know them, my dear Mr. Bultitude,
you want to go among them!"

It was the very last thing Paul did want--he knew them quite well
enough, but it was of no use to say so, and he merely assented politely.

"And now," said the Doctor, "with regard to your misguided boy. I have
to tell you that he is here, in this very house. I tracked him here,
and, ten minutes ago, saw him with my own eyes at one of your windows.

"Here!" cried Paul, with a well-executed start; "you astonish me!"

"It has occurred to me within the last minute," said the Doctor, "that
there may be a very simple explanation of his flight. I observe you are
giving a--a juvenile entertainment on a large scale."

"I suppose I am," Paul admitted. "And so you think----?"

"I think that your son, who doubtless knew of your intention, was hurt
at being excluded from the festivities and, in a fit of mad wilful
folly, resolved to be present at them in spite of you."

"My dear Doctor," cried Paul, who saw the conveniences of this theory,
"that must be it, of course--that explains it all!"

"So grave an act of insubordination," said the Doctor, "an act of double
disobedience--to your authority and mine--deserves the fullest
punishment. You agree with me, I trust?"

The memory of his wrongs overcame Mr. Bultitude for the moment: "Nothing
can be too bad for the little scoundrel!" he said, between his teeth.

"He shall have it, sir, I swea