With a puzzled look, the Doctor turned to Miss Price.

“What’s happened?” he queried.  “Has Polly suddenly become dumb?  Or is it a game?”

“She is being punished,” was the grave answer.

“Oh!” he replied.  “Well, when she has been punished enough, please send her down to me.”

He strode away, without one word of David, to Polly’s overwhelming disappointment.

In half an hour Miss Price said, “Polly, you may go now.”

She bounded off, with not even a backward glance, and the children felt lonelier than before.  But Polly’s mind was too full of David for her to think of the rest.

To her surprise the Doctor was not in his office; but upon a book of bright color she spied a tiny note with her name on it.  Catching it up eagerly, she read:—­

  Dear Thistledown,—­

  Sorry to be called away, when I have invited
  Company; but wait and take tea with me.  I shall
  Be back soon.  I’ve been looking over this book,
  And I think you will like it.

  Sincerely,

  Robert Dudley.

  David is better.

“Oh, I’m so glad, glad, glad!” breathed Polly, clasping the note in her small hands.

Then she read it once more, and afterwards established herself in the Doctor’s easiest chair, to begin the book he had suggested.  If she like the story she would tell it to David.

Polly was so far away in thought that she did not notice Dr. Dudley’s entrance, until he was inside the office.  Then she flew to him.

He caught her in his arms, surveying her with a whimsical smile.

“All punished, are you?” he asked.

She laughed, responding with a gay affirmative.

“It does n’t seem to have weighed you down much,” he observed, drawing her to a seat beside him.

“It was only sitting still and not talking,” she explained, “and I took two turns at it, so ’t was n’t bad.  I told Colonel Gresham about the kerosene, and it made him laugh.  Is n’t Lone Star beautiful?”

“Decidedly; but how came you with the Colonel?” queried the Doctor.

“Why, he was right out there, if front of his house, and I asked him to catch you—­there was n’t any other way.  I could n’t make you hear.  Oh, I do wish you could have seen Lone Star go!”

“I’ll venture he never did a more valuable service,” said the Doctor fervently.  “Perhaps I might add, or you either.  If it had not been for your ready wits things might have gone worse.  I tried some new medicine for David, and it worked well, exceedingly well.”

“Is he a good deal better?”

“Very comfortable.  He was sleeping when I left him.  Don’t worry, Thistledown!” for tears stood in Polly’s eyes.  “I think he is going to pull through all right, and we’ll have him down in the other ward before you know it.”

Tea was served directly, and there were big, juicy blackberries, with which Dr. Dudley piled Polly’s dish high.