The favourable impression which Mrs. Pett had formed of her nephew waned.  She was shocked by this disrespectful attitude towards the child she worshipped.

“Please do not disturb Ogden, James,” she said stiffly.  “He is not feeling very well to-day.  His stomach is weak.”

“Been eating too much?” said Jimmy cheerfully.

“I was just the same at his age.  What he wants is half rations and plenty of exercise.”

“Say!” protested Ogden.

“Just look at this,” proceeded Jimmy, grasping a handful of superfluous tissue around the boy’s ribs.  “All that ought to come off.  I’ll tell you what I’ll do.  I’ll buy a pair of flannel trousers and a sweater and some sneakers, and I’ll take him for a run up Riverside Drive this evening.  Do him no end of good.  And a good skipping-rope, too.  Nothing like it.  In a couple of weeks I’ll have him as fit as a—­”

“Ogden’s case,” said Mrs. Pett coldly, “which is very complicated, is in the hands of Doctor Briginshaw, in whom we have every confidence.”

There was a silence, the paralysing effects of which Mr. Pett vainly tried to mitigate by shuffling his feet and coughing.  Mrs. Pett spoke.

“I hope that, now that you are here, James, you intend to settle down and work hard.”

“Indubitably.  Like a beaver,” said Jimmy, mindful of Mr. Pett’s recent warning.  “The only trouble is that there seems to be a little uncertainty as to what I am best fitted for.  We talked it over in uncle Pete’s office and arrived at no conclusion.”

“Can’t you think of anything?” said Mr. Pett.

“I looked right through the telephone classified directory the other day—­”

“The other day?  But you only landed this morning.”

“I mean this morning.  When I was looking up your address so that I could go and see you,” said Jimmy glibly.  “It seems a long time ago.  I think the sight of all those fellows in your office has aged me.  I think the best plan would be for me to settle down here and learn how to be an electrical engineer or something by mail.  I was reading an advertisement in a magazine as we came up on the subway.  I see they guarantee to teach you anything from sheet metal working to poultry raising.  The thing began ’You are standing still because you lack training.’  It seemed to me to apply to my case exactly.  I had better drop them a line to-night asking for a few simple facts about chickens.”

Whatever comment Mrs. Pett might have made on this suggestion was checked by the entrance of Ann.  From the window of her room Ann had observed the arrival of Jimmy and her uncle, and now, having allowed sufficient time to elapse for the former to make Mrs. Pett’s acquaintance, she came down to see how things were going.

She was well satisfied with what she saw.  A slight strain which she perceived in the atmosphere she attributed to embarrassment natural to the situation.