we must remember that the best and most useful things do not
always make the most noise in the world. The man who rules his spirit
to obedience does not do anything that `shows' at all. Very often no
one knows what he has done. The man who takes the city does it with
noise and tumult, and gets fame and praise. Yet of those two the first
perhaps does the harder thing, and may be more useful to his
fellow-creatures. And it is just the little common things which come
every day and don't show that we must be careful about, because they
keep us ready to obey in a great thing if we are called to do it. So if
I were you, Ambrose," said the doctor, smiling very kindly as he ended
this speech, "I would be careful about the things that don't show. Your
father will know then that he can trust you, though you may think they
are too little and common to make any difference."

Ambrose had never heard Dr Budge say so much before on any subject, and
indeed he was generally rather sparing of his words. It was all the
more flattering, therefore, that he should take all this trouble, and he
had looked so very kind while he was talking that Ambrose said to
himself, "I'm very glad we got his jackdaw back."

He went home full of the best resolutions possible, which he carried out
so well for the next few days that Nancy asked in surprise: "Why are you
so good?" feeling sure that something must have happened.

Dr Budge said nothing more about the museum or anything approaching it
for some days, and Ambrose thought he had forgotten all about it. He
was quite startled, therefore, when his master, suddenly leaning forward
over his desk, said one morning:

"I suppose you and David still want to fill the museum?"

"Oh, yes," he replied, "of course we do!"

"Well, then," said Dr Budge, "I want to go to the chalk-pit beyond
Rumborough to-morrow, and if you were both to go with me we might find
something that would do for it."

Ambrose was speechless. He stared at the doctor's kind red face almost
as though he was frightened at the proposal.

"I could give you some fossils of my own," said the doctor, glancing
round at his dusty treasures, "but it would be better to find something
for yourselves. You could learn a little by doing that."

"Would you really take us?" said Ambrose; "how awfully kind of you!" He
spoke under his breath, for it seemed too good to be true.

"You see," said the doctor, "one good turn deserves another.