climb
one of the oak-trees bordering the wall--may the saints aid me!"

"You were asking if I could climb a tree," remarked the Doctor. "I
will point out to you that it is a question of no importance. It is
you yourself who must climb the tree; for even if I succeeded in the
arduous and painful task I could not pay your vows to Lady Mary, and
for such purpose primarily the tree is to be climbed."

"True for you, Doctor," I answered with a sigh. "True for you. I must
climb the tree. I can see that. I had some thought of making Paddy
climb it, but, as you say, a man must do his own love-making, and by
the same token I would break the head of any one who tried to do it
for me. I would that! In this world people must climb their own trees.
Now that I think of it seriously, it was ridiculous in me to plan that
Paddy should climb the tree."

"'Second thoughts are always best,'" said the little Doctor piously.
"'Tis a phrase from one of the greatest writers of the day. And at any
rate I myself, because of age and debility, would not be able to climb
a tree."

"Let us say no more of it," said I. "I see my mistake. But tell me one
thing. I know you are a man with a great deal on your mind. Can you
spare the time for this adventure?"

But on this point the Doctor was very clear and emphatic. I think if I
had said he could not have a place in the plot he would have died
immediately of a broken heart.

"'Tis true I have not yet finished my treatise proving that the
touchstone is fallible," he cried eagerly; "but it would give me
pleasure to delay the work indefinitely if in the meantime I can be of
assistance."

"That is a man's talk," I said. "Well, then, in the morning we will go
forth to do or die. And now a glass to success."

That night I slept very heartily, for some of my father's soldier
training is in my veins, and on the eve of a hard or precarious work I
am always able to get sound rest. My father often said that on the
night before a battle in which he would stand seventy-seven chances of
being killed he always slept like a dog in front of the fire.

At dawn I was up and ready. My first move was to have Paddy and Jem
sent to me, and to give them such information as would lead them to an
intelligent performance of their duties during the day. "Mind ye now,"
said I, "here's where the whole thing may be won or lost. There is a
lovely lady inside the walls of that garden which I was showing you
yesterday. She li