Mrs. Ladue smiled happily. One would have thought that Professor Ladue would have tried that manner oftener. It produced much effect with little effort; but I spoke hastily. I do not know how much effort it was. "Thank you, Charlie--Charlie, dear," she answered, hesitating a little; "I do feel very much better. I heard all the happy noise down here and I had to come down." "Don't apologize, my dear," he protested; "don't apologize, or we shall have to believe that you didn't mean to come because you didn't want to." Mrs. Ladue took her seat, but made no reply. There was a faint color in her cheeks and she looked almost shyly at her husband. Sally was gazing at her mother, but not in wonder. There was no fathoming Sally. She reached out and pressed her mother's hand. "You look so very pretty, mother," she whispered. The color in Mrs. Ladue's cheeks became deeper. "Hush, dear," she whispered in return. "It must be because I am happy." "I wish we could always be happy," Sally whispered again; "all of us." There was no way of knowing whether her father had heard these whispers. He might have heard, but he gave no sign, looking into his empty cup and playing with the spoon. "Sally," he said suddenly, "what do you suppose my little lizard would have done if he had waked up some morning and found his swamp covered with this?" The professor waved his hand toward the window. Sally was much interested. "Would he have flown away?" "Wrong," cried the professor, getting up and walking to the window. "Guess again." Sally gave the question some thought. "I don't know," she said at last. "Wrong again. Next! Charlie!" Charlie had his mouth full. He looked up in surprise. "What?" he spluttered. "What would my little lizard have done this morning?" Charlie was no Fletcherite. He swallowed his mouthful very nearly whole. Then he gasped a little which is not to be wondered at. "Little lizard would take his little snow-shovel and shovel a great big place--" he began. Then an idea seemed to strike him and he stopped with his mouth open. "No," he cried; "little lizard would be dead." "Very possibly, Charlie. That's the nearest answer, so far." The professor turned and regarded his son curiously. "I should really like to know how you arrived at that conclusion." "Lizard died a long time ago," Charlie answered. "Couldn't wake up this morning because you've got the bones upstairs." The professor laughed. "A very just observation," he remarked. "You have a logical mind, Charles." Charles slid down from his chair. "I'm through my breakfast," he announced. "Want to shovel." "You forget our programme, Charlie," said his father. "We are to loaf now. It is always best to eat slowly, masticate your food well, refrain from drinking when you are thirsty, and stand for half an hour after eating. There are other things which I forget. But we will loaf now."