"Oh, tut, nonsense, my dear sir! When you came here I laid down the law to myself that for the first month I would lie low, as the Yankees call it, and see what sort of a fellow you were; and at the end of that time I was perfectly satisfied with my good fortune in obtaining your services. I said to myself, `The doctor's a high-class University man, and he can turn those two boys into English gentlemen--manly gentlemen-- far better than I can. He will have a terribly hard job to lick the young cubs and shape them properly, so don't interfere.' And I haven't, have I, doctor? No--no, don't say anything. I know what it would be, so hold your tongue. I will say, though, here in the darkness so as to spare the boys, doctor, that I think it's a pity that besides the metaphorical licking that the old bears are said to use to shape their cubs, I did not begin by giving you the power to give them now and then what schoolboys call `the real' licking." "You don't, father," said Mark, laughing merrily. "You have always said that boys can be well brought up without blows." "Hear, hear," said the doctor softly. "But I am afraid it was very weak of me," said Sir James. "A good thrashing, sir, now and then, would have made you less impudent." "You mean Dean, father," said the boy mischievously. "No, I do not, sir." "Hear, hear! Hooray!" shouted Dean. "But I believe," continued Sir James, "that it would have woke him up a bit, for he's nearly as bad as the Fat Boy in Pickwick." "Oh, what a shame!" cried the boy. "And one word more," continued Sir James, speaking earnestly now. "Do you know, Robertson, this is very odd?" "What is, sir?" said the doctor, for Sir James had ceased speaking. "Why, that several times lately I have sat there in that chair thinking about these two fellows and their education, and that though I don't believe in what people call the Grand Tour, it would be a fine thing for them if they were to travel and see a bit of the world. I mean real travelling, into out-of-the-way places where they could shoot, and hunt, and fish, and collect. I don't mean to go murdering about, seeing how many poor animals they could slaughter, and calling it sport, but to go out into the wilds getting their livings by their guns or rifles, and learning at the same time the wonders of animated nature, and seeing generally what there is to be found in life. Of course I know that you could impart all this to the boys by means of books of travel, but how would it be if you were to pick out some interesting country and teach them by genuine travel? Much better than nailing you down to a table with a pile of books. Why, doctor--boys--Bah! Bless my heart! There's the dinner-bell! No dressing to-day. Come along. We must talk more of this another time." CHAPTER TWO. HOW MARK ROCHE GAINED THE DAY.