ndre before he sat
down at the table. He told his father he was sure he could make ten
dollars a week by his splendid enterprise. He intended to take the
palace he had finished up to State Street, for sale, at noon that day.
The problem would soon be solved, and he was already nearly as well
satisfied as though he had the price of his curious merchandise in his
pocket.

After breakfast he returned to the shop. He was sad when he thought of
staying away from school, and of giving up the medal he had set his
heart upon; but, then, it was a very great pleasure to do something for
his devoted father, who had been so good to him. It was a great
sacrifice that he was called upon to make; but there was no help for
it, and he tried to yield cheerfully to the necessity of the occasion.
Gladly and hopefully he sawed and planed, and squared, and grooved, and
mortised his work, and nailed the parts together.

At ten o'clock the doctor came. He was as gentle and kind as he had
been the evening before. Andre was partially paralyzed on one side of
his frame; but Dr. Fisher was quite hopeful of his patient, though it
was not likely that he could go to work for some months. The physician
was much pleased with Maggie, and when he was taking his leave he asked
for Leo.

"He is in his shop at work," said Maggie. "Every one that comes here
goes down to see his white mice; perhaps you would like to do so."

"I would," replied the doctor, with one of those benevolent smiles
which all who knew him will remember to the end of their days.

Maggie conducted him to the basement, and then returned to Andre's
chamber. The doctor examined the cages and palaces with wondering
interest, though the mice were all asleep in their lairs. Leo put a
little canary seed in the grand parade of each house, and this was
quite enough to rouse them from their slumbers, and induce them to
exhibit themselves to the astonished visitor.

"These are my performing mice," said Leo, pointing to a house in which
seven full-grown ones were nibbling the seed.

"What do they perform?" laughed the doctor.

"I'll show you, sir."

Leo swept out the canary seed from the grand parade, so that the little
actors should have nothing to distract their attention. Taking six
little sticks--that looked something like guns--he rapped with his
finger-nail on the floor of the house. The seven mice stood up on their
hind legs, in a straight line, like a file of soldiers. He then ga