"Does it appear to be turning cool?" asked the son. "No; it does not appear to be turning cool at all," was the answer. "H'm 'm!" said Dr. Mossy. "Hem!" said General Villivicencio. Dr. Mossy, not realizing his own action, stole a glance at his manuscript. "I am interrupting you," said the General, quickly, and rose. "No, no! pardon me; be seated; it gives me great pleasure to--I did not know what I was doing. It is the work with which I fill my leisure moments." So the General settled down again, and father and son sat very close to each other--in a bodily sense; spiritually they were many miles apart. The General's finger-ends, softly tapping the desk, had the sound of far-away drums. "The city--it is healthy?" asked the General. "Did you ask me if"--said the little Doctor, starting and looking up. "The city--it has not much sickness at present?" repeated the father. "No, yes--not much," said Mossy, and, with utter unconsciousness, leaned down upon his elbow and supplied an omitted word to the manuscript. The General was on his feet as if by the touch of a spring. "I must go!" "Ah! no, papa," said the son. "But, yes, I must." "But wait, papa, I had just now something to speak of"-- "Well?" said the General, standing with his hand on the door, and with rather a dark countenance. Dr. Mossy touched his fingers to his forehead, trying to remember. "I fear I have--ah! I rejoice to see your name before the public, dear papa, and at the head of the ticket." The General's displeasure sank down like an eagle's feathers. He smiled thankfully, and bowed. "My friends compelled me," he said. "They think you will be elected?" "They will not doubt it. But what think you, my son?" Now the son had a conviction which it would have been madness to express, so he only said: "They could not elect one more faithful." The General bowed solemnly. "Perhaps the people will think so; my friends believe they will." "Your friends who have used your name should help you as much as they can, papa," said the Doctor. "Myself, I should like to assist you, papa, if I could." "A-bah!" said the pleased father, incredulously. "But, yes," said the son. A thrill of delight filled the General's frame. _This_ was like a son. "Thank you, my son! I thank you much. Ah, Mossy, my dear boy, you make me happy!" "But," added Mossy, realizing with a tremor how far he had gone, "I see not how it is possible." The General's chin dropped. "Not being a public man," continued the Doctor; "unless, indeed, my pen--you might enlist my pen." He paused with a smile of bashful inquiry. The General stood aghast for a moment, and then caught the idea. "Certainly! cer-tain-ly! ha, ha, ha!"--backing out of the door--"certainly! Ah! Mossy, you are right, to be sure; to make a complete world we must have swords _and_ pens. Well, my son, '_au revoir;_' no, I cannot stay--I will return. I hasten to tell my friends that the pen of Dr. Mossy is on our side! Adieu, dear son."