I had ignominiously to call upon Sandy to finish my speech. I realize

that the best-equipped feminine mind in the world can't cope with the

peculiar class of questions that originate in a thirteen-year boy's

brain.

As a result of their seafaring interest, the doctor conceived the idea

of inviting seven of the oldest and most alert lads to spend the day

with him in New York and see with their own eyes an oceanliner. They

rose at five yesterday morning, caught the 7:30 train, and had the most

wonderful adventure that has happened in all their seven lives. They

visited one of the big liners (Sandy knows the Scotch engineer),

and were conducted from the bottom of the hold to the top of the

crow's-nest, and then had luncheon on board. And after luncheon they

visited the aquarium and the top of the Singer Building, and took

the subway uptown to spend an hour with the birds of America in their

habitats. Sandy with great difficulty pried them away from the

Natural History Museum in time to catch the 6:15 train. Dinner in the

dining-car. They inquired with great particularity how much it was

costing, and when they heard that it was the same, no matter how much

you ate, they drew deep breaths and settled quietly and steadily to the

task of not allowing their host to be cheated. The railroad made nothing

on that party, and all the tables around stopped eating to stare. One

traveler asked the doctor if it was a boarding school he had in charge;

so you can see how the manners and bearing of our lads have picked up.

I don't wish to boast, but no one would ever have asked such a question

concerning seven of Mrs. Lippett's youngsters. "Are they bound for a

reformatory?" would have been the natural question after observing the

table manners of her offspring.

My little band tumbled in toward ten o'clock, excitedly babbling a

mess of statistics about reciprocating compound engines and watertight

bulkheads, devil-fish and sky-scrapers and birds of paradise. I thought

I should never get them to bed. And, oh, but they had had a glorious

day! I do wish I could manage breaks in the routine oftener. It gives

them a new outlook on life and makes them more like normal children.

Wasn't it really nice of Sandy? But you should have seen that man's

behavior when I tried to thank him. He waved me aside in the middle of

a sentence, and growlingly asked Miss Snaith if she couldn't economize a

little on carbolic acid. The house smelt like a hospital.

I must tell you that Punch is back with us again, entirely renovated as

to manners. I am looking for a family to adopt him.




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