ope no poor creature wants me
to-night."

"So do I," said Landon, "for my own sake as well as for his or hers. I
wanted a long chat with you as soon as this tiresome dinner is at an
end."

"Hark," said the doctor. "Some one has come in. Yes, I'm wanted, and--
Hullo, Frank, my dear boy, how are you?" he cried, as a youthful-looking
young man, who appeared flushed and excited, threw open the door without
waiting to be announced, and strode in, to nod to first one and then the
other.

"Why, there is something the matter!" said the doctor quickly. "You
want to see me?"

"To see you? Yes, of course," said the young man shaking hands
hurriedly. "No, no, not professionally. I hurried on to Old Bones, but
the servant said he had come to dine with you, so I jumped into a cab
and made the fellow canter here."

"Then you have come for a snack with us. Wish I'd known, and we'd have
waited. Sit down, my lad. Why didn't you come sooner?"

"Dinner?" cried the young man, ignoring the chair, and beginning to
stride up and down the room, swinging his arms excitedly; "don't talk to
me about dinner!"

"Very well, little man," said the professor, smiling; "but don't jump
quite out of your skin."

The newcomer turned upon the speaker sharply, and stopping short stood
pointing at him.

"Hark at that fellow, doctor," he cried. "That's Old Bones all over.
He's as cool as one of his dry mummies. Why, my news is enough to make
any fellow with a heart jump out of his skin!"

"Sit still, Bob," said the professor quietly; "the boy has made a
discovery."

"Yes, a discovery," cried the newcomer--"a discovery!" and he brought
his hand down so heavily upon the dining table that the glasses jumped.

"That's it," said the professor; "metaphorically speaking, he has been
pouring sulphuric acid upon the carbonate of lime of his composition,
and all this effervescence is the consequence. He'll be better soon.
Now, Frank, boy, what is the discovery--something that will set the
Thames on fire?"

"Have you got a good appointment as chemist, Frank?" said the doctor.

"Discovery--appointment!" cried the young man, with his voice breaking
from the emotion he felt. "Something a thousand times better than
either of those. It's the news of news, I tell you--Hal!"

His two hearers sprang to their feet and rushed at him excitedly, each
seizing a hand.

"What about him?" cried the doctor.

"Not dead?" shouted the professor.

"No-