Archag was chagrined at his awkwardness, and reluctant to present himself before Mrs. Spencer, as a culprit. But the doctor's wife had seen the accident, and from behind a curtain she watched Archag coming toward the house, and observed his embarrassment. When he entered, and stammered out his apologies, she put him at his ease with a few friendly words: "You have had a little misfortune, but that is nothing, and you will soon play better. Lessons are over, aren't they, so you can stay and have a cup of tea with me?" She gave Archag great pleasure by beginning to talk about Van, which she had visited three years before. She inquired for Miss Dobbie, whose guest she had been for a week. Archag's spirits revived; he told a numbers of stories illustrating the old lady's untiring kindness, and Mrs. Spencer listened with interest. She liked the boy's frank countenance and vivacity, and when Archag left, he was completely won, and promised to come again often. CHAPTER VI A VISIT TO THE TURKISH BATH Thursday was an important day in the Sophomore's calendar, for on that day Mihran hodja always took them to the hamam (bath). Garabed, Aram and Archag usually walked in front; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, as Dikran dubbed them. Archag, who was usually very sensitive, only laughed at this pleasantry, he was so happy with his two new friends. Garabed was really his favorite; to him he could confide his inmost thoughts, and tell his pleasures and his troubles, sure of finding pity and sympathy. Garabed was the eldest of eight children; one after another, he had seen all his brothers and sisters die, the victims of tuberculosis. These bereavements and the sadness that pervaded his home, had invested him with a certain melancholy which he had never been able to shake off entirely. His teachers found him too quick, I was almost going to say too wise, for his years. Archag, overflowing with life and spirits, occasionally found him depressing, and at such times he enjoyed the companionship of his other friend, with whom he could run, jump, and tussle to his heart's content for Aram was the life and soul of the class, and though his comrades might stand in fear of his raillery, they also admired his unwearied good nature and fearless courage. It was he, as usual, who took the lead in the conversation on this Thursday, and his friends were content to listen, and laugh at his sallies. "Great news!" said he. "We are going to have a new professor of French." "What?" cried Garabed. "Isn't President Mills going to teach us any more?" "No." "Well, then, who is this new teacher?" asked Archag. "Guess." "Mr. Hagopian?" "No." "Mr. Pagratian?" "Yok, yok (no, no)." "Then I give up." "Perhaps he is a Frenchman?" suggested Garabed. "Bravo, my dear philosopher, you have guessed right; that is, he's a Swiss from Geneva. Dr. Mills spoke to my uncle about him, and he told me yesterday."