"You see I do not need glasses," he said, "for such a passage as that! I almost know it by heart, although I never possessed the Archdeacon's astonishing facility in that direction. He was accustomed to commit a passage to memory every day. Put it back, Ada, dear." Miss Weeks restored the volume to the case, closed the door, turned the key, and faced me with the air of a small but determined hen which has safely shut her chickens into the coop in the very face of an ill-disposed but inexperienced young fox. I took up my hat. "Good-bye, Mr. Baxter," I said. "I shall come and see you to-morrow. Don't let your disciples overtire you." The old man flushed. "I thank you for that flattering word, sir," he said. Halfway down the street I realized that I had forgotten my stethoscope. Accordingly, I retraced my steps. I found the front door open. I might have walked in without ceremony; but, inspired by a very proper fear of Miss Ada Weeks, I tapped respectfully and waited. There was no response. Presently I became aware of voices proceeding from the front parlour, the door of which stood wide open just inside the passage. This is what I heard. "_Adenitis_, and _Adenoid Growths_--that's the nearest I can find. Which do you want?" "I think _Adenoid Growths_, my dear. Read it through once, as usual; then again line by line." "All right. Pay attention, mind!" said Miss Weeks sharply, and began: "_Adenoid Growths of the lym--lymphatic tissues of the upper throat occur chiefly in children from four to fourteen_. Yes, that's right: Johnny Caddick is eight. _The child breathes through the mouth_--Where do they expect him to breathe through? His ear?--_suffers from Nasal Cat_--cat something; we'll call it cater--_from Nasal Cater_. I wonder how people can write such words, let alone read them!" "To me," said the gentle voice of the old man, "it seems wonderful that they should be able to do either." "Listen again," commanded Miss Weeks, oblivious of a resounding knock from me. "_--Nasal Cater, and slight deafness; and is stupid and sluggish_-- This book takes off Johnny Caddick to the life, and no mistake! I wonder what his mother will say--with a _cha-rac-ter-is-tic_--oh, crumbs!--_facial expression. Cure is effected by a simple operation of removal_. Does that mean his face? A good job if it does! That's all. Now I'll learn you it. _Adenoid Growths--_" "_Adenoid Growths; Adenoid Growths; Adenoid Growths--_" "_Of the lymphatic tissues--_" "_Of the lymphatic tissues--_" I recollected that I had a spare stethoscope at home, and tiptoed down the steps. III I learned a good deal about the Baxter _ménage_ during the next few weeks, from various sources. First the Rector, whom I encountered one day paying a parochial call at Twenty-One, The Common. We walked home together.