oft October light, and consulted over all the details of the
tulip and hyacinth beds.

"Fifty dollars!" said Matilda, at last.

"Yes?" said Norton. "Well?"

"Nothing. Only--did you ever think, Norton, how many other things one
could do with fifty dollars? I wonder if it is right to spend so much
just on a flower-bed?"

"It isn't. It's on two flower-beds," said Norton.

"Well, on two. It is the same thing."

"That's a very loose way of talking," said Norton. "Two and one are not
at all the same thing. They are three."

"O Norton! but you are twisting things all round, now. I didn't say
anything ridiculous."

"I am not so sure of that. Pink, one would never spend money any way,
if one stopped because one could spend it some other way."

"But it ought to be always the best way."

"You can't tell what the best way is," said Norton. "I can't think of
anything so good to do with this fifty dollars, as to make those two
beds of bulbous roots."

Matilda sat thinking, not convinced, but longing very much to see the
hyacinths and tulips, when a voice at the glass door behind her made
her start. It was the doctor.

"Good morning. Is nobody at home?"

"Nobody but us," said Norton.

"Mrs. Laval gone out, eh?"

"Gone to New York, sir."

"To New York, eh? Ah! Well! Unfortunate!"

"What shall I tell her, sir, when she comes back?"

"Is there anybody in the house that can make beef tea?"

"No, sir," said Norton.

"If you will tell me how, Dr. Bird, I will have some," Matilda said.

"You, eh? Well, you do know something more than most girls. You can
remember and follow directions, if I tell you, eh?"

"Yes, sir, I think I can."

"Then I'll tell you. You take a piece of juicy beef--he can see to
that--juicy beef; not a poor cut, mind, nor fat; mustn't be any fat;
and you cut it into dice; and when you have cut it all up fine, you put
it in a bottle, and cork it up. Understand?"

"Yes, sir. But I don't know what dice are."

"Don't, eh? well, little bits as big as the end of my finger, will do
as well as dice. Then when you have got your bottle corked, set it in a
pot of water, and put the pot on the fire, and let it boil, till the
juice of the beef comes out. Then strain that juice. That's beef tea."

"I mustn't put any water in with the beef, sir?--in the bottle?"

"Not a drop. Keep the water all in the pot."

"Who is to have the beef tea, doctor, when it is made?"

"Those two Frenchmen at the farmhou