he spectacles from my nose, and crammed them into the case,
which again I thrust into my pocket. In the same instant Mabel's sweet
face appeared in the door.

"Did you call me, papa?" she said; then, as she saw me reclining on
the sofa, where her father (now no longer a parrot) had forced me to
lie down, there came a sudden fright into her beautiful eyes, and she
sprang to my side and seized my hand in hers.

"Are you ill, Jamie?" she asked, in a voice of unfeigned anxiety,
which went straight to my heart. "Has anything happened to you?"

"Hush, hush!" said the professor. "Don't make him speak. It might have
proved a serious attack. Too much studying, my dear--too much
studying. To be sure, the ambition of young men nowadays is past
belief. It was different in my youth. Then, every young man was
satisfied if he could only make a living--found a home for himself,
and bring up his family in the fear of God. But now, dear me, such
things are mere nursery ambitions."

I felt wretched and guilty in my heart! To be thus imposing upon two
good people, who loved me and were willing to make every sacrifice for
my comfort! Mabel had brought a pillow, and put it under my head; and
now she took out some sort of crochet-work, and seated herself on a
chair close by me. The professor stood looking at his watch and
counting my pulse-beats.

"One hundred and five," he muttered, and shook his bald head. "Yes, he
has fever. I saw it at once, as he entered the room."

"Professor," I cried out, in an agony of remorse, "really I meant
nothing by it. I know very well that you are not a parrot--that you
are--"

"I--I--a parrot!" he exclaimed, smiling knowingly at Mabel. "No, I
should think not. He is raving, my dear. High fever. Just what I said.
Won't you go out and send Maggie for the doctor? No, stop, I shall go
myself. Then he will be sure to come without delay. It is high time."

The professor buttoned his coat up to his chin, fixed his hat at the
proper angle on the back of his head, and departed in haste.

"How do you feel now, Jamie dear?" said Mabel, after awhile.

"I am very well, I thank you, Mabel," answered I. "In fact, it is all
nonsense. I am not sick at all."

"Hush, hush! you must not talk so much," demanded she, and put her
hand over my mouth.

My excitement was now gradually subsiding, and my blood was returning
to its usual speed.

"If you don't object, Mabel," said I, "I'll get up and go home.
There's noth