the
occasion, the dispossessed doll being callously laid on a shelf in the
meantime.

It was really quite interesting to observe the effect of this accident
on the tender-hearted five. They wept over Dumps most genuine tears.
They begged his pardon--implored his forgiveness--in the most earnest
tones and touching terms. They took turn about in watching by his
sick-bed. They held lint and lotion with superhuman solemnity while I
dressed his wounded limb, and they fed him with the most tender
solicitude. In short, they came out quite in a new and sympathetic
light, and soon began to play at sick-nursing with each other. This
involved a good deal of pretended sickness, and for a long time after
that it was no uncommon thing for visitors to the nursery to find three
of the five down with measles, whooping-cough, or fever, while the
fourth acted doctor, and the fifth nurse.

The event however, gave them a lesson in gentleness to dumb animals
which they never afterwards forgot, and which some of my boy readers
would do well to remember. With a laudable effort to improve the
occasion, Mrs McTougall carefully printed in huge letters, and
elaborately illuminated the sentence, "Be kind to Doggie," and hung it
up in the nursery. Thereupon cardboard, pencils, paints, and scissors
were in immediate demand, and soon after there appeared on the walls in
hideously bad but highly ornamental letters, the words "Be kind to
Cattie." This was followed by "Be kind to Polly," which instantly
suggested "Be kind to Dolly." And so, by one means or another, the
lesson of kindness was driven home.

Soon after this event Dr McTougall moved into a new house in the same
street; I became regularly established as his partner, and Robin Slidder
entered on his duties as page in buttons. It is right to observe here
that, in deference to his prejudices, the material of his garments was
not blue, but dark grey.

It was distinctly arranged, however, that Robin was to go home, as he
called it, to be with Mrs Willis at nights. On no other condition
would he agree to enter the doctor's service; and I found, on talking
over the subject with Mrs Willis herself, that she had become so fond
of the boy that it would have been sheer cruelty to part them. In
short, it was a case of mutual love at first sight! No two individuals
seemed more unlikely to draw together than the meek, gentle old lady and
the dashing, harum-scarum boy. Yet so it was.