upon the warm sands, Dexter sat and
lay day after day, drinking in the soft sea air, and gaining strength,
while the doctor sat under an umbrella to think out fresh chapters for
his book, and Helen either read to her invalid or worked.

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

THE PROOF OF THE DOCTOR'S THEORY.

Three years, as every one knows, look like what they are--twenty-six
thousand two hundred and eighty long hours from one side, and they look
like nothing from the other. They had passed pleasantly and well, for
the doctor had been so much pleased with his Isle of Wight house that he
had taken it for three years, and transported there the whole of his
household, excepting Dan'l, who was left in charge at Coleby.

"You see, my dear," the doctor had said; "it's a mistake for Dexter to
be at Coleby until he has gone through what we may call his caterpillar
stage. We'll take him back a perfect--"

"Insect, papa?" said Helen, smiling.

"No, no. You understand what I mean."

So Dexter did not see Coleby during those three years, in which he
stayed his terms at a school where the principal did not break the
spirit of backward and unruly boys. On the contrary, he managed to
combine excellent teaching with the possession of plenty of animal
spirits, and his new pupil gained credit, both at home and at the
school.

"Now," said the doctor, on the day of their return to the old home, as
he ran his eye proudly over the sturdy manly-looking boy he was taking
back; "I think I can show Sir James I'm right, eh, my dear?"

Old Dan'l smiled a wonderful smile as Dexter went down the garden
directly he got home.

"Shake hands with you, my lad?" he said, in answer to an invitation;
"why, I'm proud. What a fine un you have growed! But come and have a
look round. I never had such a year for fruit before."

Chuckling with satisfaction, the doctor was not content until he had
brought Sir James and Lady Danby to the house to dinner, in company with
their son, who had grown up into an exceedingly tall, thin, pale boy
with a very supercilious smile.

No allusion was made to the doctor's plan, but the dinner-party did not
turn out a success, for the boys did not seem to get on together; and
Sir James said in confidence to Lady Danby that night, precisely what
Dr Grayson said to Helen--

"They never shall be companions if I can help it. I don't like that
boy."

Over the dessert, too, Sir James managed to upset Dexter's equanimity by