you can have the old smoking-jacket of the
Doctor's which you used to use as a blanket, in case it is cold in the
night."

"Thanks," said Chee-Chee. "It's good to be back in the old house again.
Everything's just the same as when I left--except the clean roller-towel
on the back of the door there--that's new--Well, I think I'll go to bed
now. I need sleep."

Then we all went out of the kitchen into the scullery and watched
Chee-Chee climb the plate-rack like a sailor going up a mast. On the
top, he curled himself up, pulled the old smoking-jacket over him, and
in a minute he was snoring peacefully.

"Good old Chee-Chee!" whispered the Doctor. "I'm glad he's back."

"Yes--good old Chee-Chee!" echoed Dab-Dab and Polynesia.

Then we all tip-toed out of the scullery and closed the door very gently
behind us.

THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER. I BECOME A DOCTOR'S ASSISTANT

WHEN Thursday evening came there was great excitement at our house, My
mother had asked me what were the Doctor's favorite dishes, and I
had told her: spare ribs, sliced beet-root, fried bread, shrimps and
treacle-tart. To-night she had them all on the table waiting for him;
and she was now fussing round the house to see if everything was tidy
and in readiness for his coming.

At last we heard a knock upon the door, and of course it was I who got
there first to let him in.

The Doctor had brought his own flute with him this time. And after
supper was over (which he enjoyed very much) the table was cleared away
and the washing-up left in the kitchen-sink till the next day. Then the
Doctor and my father started playing duets.

They got so interested in this that I began to be afraid that they would
never come to talking over my business. But at last the Doctor said,

"Your son tells me that he is anxious to become a naturalist."

And then began a long talk which lasted far into the night. At first
both my mother and father were rather against the idea--as they had
been from the beginning. They said it was only a boyish whim, and that
I would get tired of it very soon. But after the matter had been talked
over from every side, the Doctor turned to my father and said,

"Well now, supposing, Mr. Stubbins, that your son came to me for two
years--that is, until he is twelve years old. During those two years he
will have time to see if he is going to grow tired of it or not. Also
during that time, I will promise to teach him reading and writing and
pe