Challis stopped and faced him. "Why not, Lewes; why not?" he asked, with a kindly smile. "Think of the gap which separates your intellectual powers from those of a Polynesian savage. Why, after all, should it be impossible that this child's powers should equally transcend our own? A freak, if you will, an abnormality, a curious effect of nature's, like the giant puff-ball--but still----" "Oh! yes, sir, I grant you the thing is not impossible from a theoretical point of view," argued Lewes, "but I think you are theorising on altogether insufficient evidence. I am willing to admit that such a freak is theoretically possible, but I have not yet found the indications of such a power in the child." Challis resumed his pacing. "Quite, quite," he assented; "your method is perfectly correct--perfectly correct. We must wait." At twelve o'clock Challis brought a glass of milk and some biscuits, and set them beside the Wonder--he was at the letter "B." "Well, how are you getting on?" asked Challis. The Wonder took not the least notice of the question, but he stretched out a little hand and took a biscuit and ate it, without looking up from his reading. "I wish he'd answer questions," Challis remarked to Lewes, later. "I should prescribe a sound shaking," returned Lewes. Challis smiled. "Well, see here, Lewes," he said, "I'll take the responsibility; you go and experiment, go and shake him." Lewes looked through the folding doors at the picture of the Wonder, intent on his study of the great dictionary. "Since you've franked me," he said, "I'll do it--but not now. I'll wait till he gives me some occasion." "Good," replied Challis, "my offer holds ... and, by the way, I have no doubt that an occasion will present itself. Doesn't it strike you as likely, Lewes, that we shall see a good deal of the child here?" They stood for some minutes, watching the picture of that intent student, framed in the written thoughts of his predecessors. III The Wonder ignored an invitation to lunch; he ignored, also, the tray that was sent in to him. He read on steadily till a quarter to six, by which time he was at the end of "L," and then he climbed down from his Encyclopædia, and made for the door. Challis, working in the farther room, saw him and came out to open the door. "Are you going now?" he asked. The child nodded. "I will order the cart for you, if you will wait ten minutes," said Challis. The child shook his head. "It's very necessary to have air," he said.