have a boy like that about the place.
Well, I'm glad I've brought it to a head, for the doctor won't part with
me."

"Now, sir," said the doctor, as he seated himself in his chair, and
Helen took up her work, carefully keeping her eyes off Dexter, who
looked at her appealingly again and again. "Now, sir, what have you to
say for yourself?"

Dexter looked at the doctor, and his countenance was so unpleasantly
angry that the ceiling, the floor, and the various objects around seemed
preferable, and were carefully observed in turn.

"Do you hear, sir? What have you to say for yourself!"

"What about?" faltered Dexter at last.

"What about, sir? Just as if you did not know! Weren't you forbidden
to touch those apples!"

"Only by Daniel, sir; and he said I was never to touch any fruit at all;
but you said I might."

"Yes--I did. I said you might have some fruit."

"Apples is fruit," said Dexter.

"_Are_ fruit--_are_ fruit, sir," cried the doctor, in an exasperated
tone.

"Apples _are_ fruit," said Dexter.

"But I did not tell you to pick my choice pippins and throw them across
the river to every blackguard boy you see."

"But he hasn't got a beautiful garden like we have," protested Dexter.

"What has that got to do with it, sir?" cried the doctor angrily. "I
don't grow fruit and keep gardeners on purpose to supply the wants of
all the little rascals in the place."

"He asked me to get him some apples, sir."

"Asked you to get him some, indeed! Look here, sir; I've tried very
hard to make you a decent boy by kindness, but it does no good. You
were told not to associate with that boy any more."

"Please, sir, I didn't," cried Dexter. "I didn't, indeed, sir."

"What? Why, I saw you talking to him, and giving him fruit."

"Please, sir, I couldn't help it. I didn't 'sociate with him; he would
come and 'sociate with me."

"Bah!" ejaculated the doctor.

"And he said if I didn't give him some apples and pears he'd come and
stand in front of the windows here and shout `workus' as loud as he
could."

"I shall have to send the police after him," said the doctor fiercely;
"and as for you, sir, I've quite made up my mind what to do. Kind words
are thrown away. I shall now purchase a cane--and use it."

"Oh, I say, don't," cried Dexter, giving himself a writhe, as he
recalled sundry unpleasant interviews with Mr Sibery. "It does hurt
so, you don't know; and makes black marks on you afterwards, j