old friend had failed to put on his top
hat.

"Are you going to do it?"

That was David's first question. He was rather anxious, because
he did not believe that this big comrade of his had come
properly attired to waylay anybody.

"Surely I am."

The Doctor was prompt, but puzzled. He didn't know _what_ he was
going to do. Then, for a space, man and boy looked at each other
inquiringly. They were both waiting and they were both wondering.

"Has it begun to start yet?"

There was expectancy in David's voice.

"You mean, I suppose--that is--"

"Yes, yes! _You_ know!" David gravely wagged his head.

The Doctor took off his hat and wiped his forehead with his
handkerchief.

"If you were a little more definite--not quite so vague and
uncertain," he hopelessly suggested.

It was then that a sudden inspiration saved the day for him. He
began to talk in a big and solemn voice.

"I perceive, sir," he said, "that you have reached the age for
being waylaid. You are four years old, and by an ancient decree
of all the Medes and Persians, that makes you my prisoner, to
hold in hostage until that ungracious dame, your mother, shall
subscribe unto me suitable and sufficient ransom."

David clapped his hands gleefully.

"Go on!" he demanded. "Go on! Now what?"

"Well, when you have all that said to you, it means that if you
find a doctor skulking about within ten feet of you, it is then
your perfect right to press him into your service. If you command
him to give you a ride on his back, he will have to do it. It's
undignified and he doesn't believe in it, but that's where you
have him at your mercy. He _has_ to obey; he has to go any place
you tell him to go. If you say he must take you to a toy shop,
that settles it. He has no choice in the matter. He _has_ to do
it. That is always the rule when a little boy is four years old."

David also learned that there is another peculiar thing about it.
In circumstances like this a little boy has the right, when he
arrives at the toy shop, to choose for himself the thing he wants
to buy. No grown-up will interfere with his judgment; the law
won't allow it. The trouble is that it is pretty hard for him to
make up his mind. When there is such a great array of drums and
swords and soldiers' caps and guns and bears that jump, it is not
an easy thing to select the toy that will please him most of
all.

Why not buy a train of cars and a track to run it on? But if he
bought t