to be hauled
off. And Joel, with no thought of consequences to himself, plunged
recklessly on.

"Is Dr. Marks up?" he demanded of the housemaid, who only stared at him,
and went on with her work of sweeping off the steps. "Is Dr. Marks up?"
cried Joel, his black eyes flashing, and going halfway up.

"Yes; but what of it?" cried the housemaid airily, leaning on her broom
a minute.

"Oh, I must see him," cried Joel, bounding into the hall. It was such a
cry of distress that it penetrated far within the house.

"Oh my! you outrageous boy!" exclaimed the housemaid, shaking her broom
at him. "You come right out."

Meantime a voice said, "What is it?" And there was Dr. Marks in dressing
gown and slippers looking over the railing at the head of the stairs.

"Oh Dr. Marks, Dr. Marks!" Joel, not giving himself time to think,
dashed over the stairs, to look up into the face under the iron-gray
hair.

The master could scarcely conceal his amazement, but he made a brave
effort at self-control.

"Why, Pepper!" he exclaimed, and there was a good deal of displeasure in
face and manner; so much so that Joel's knees knocked smartly together,
and everything swam before his eyes.

"Well, what did you want to see me for, Pepper?" Dr. Marks was
inquiring, so Joel blurted out, "A dog, sir."

"A _dog_?" repeated Dr. Marks, and now he showed his amazement and
displeasure as well. "And is this what you have interrupted me to say,
at this unseasonable hour, Joel Pepper?"

"Oh!" cried Joel, and then he broke right down, and went flat on the
stairs, crying as if his heart would break. And Mrs. Marks threw on her
pretty blue wrapper in a dreadful tremor, and rushed out with
restoratives; and the housemaid who shook her broom at Joel, ran on
remorseful feet for a glass of water, and the master's whole house was
in a ferment. But Dr. Marks waved them all aside. "The boy needs
nothing," he said. "Come, Joel." He took his hand, all grimy and
streaked, and looked at his poor, swollen eyelids and nose, over which
the tears were still falling, and in a minute he had him in his own
private study, with the door shut.

When he emerged a quarter-hour after, Joel was actually smiling. He had
hold of the master's hand, and clutched in his other fist was a note,
somewhat changed in appearance from its immaculate condition when
delivered by Dr. Marks to the bearer.

"Yes, sir," Joel was saying, "I'll do it all just as you say, sir." And
he ran