“Oh I’m growing up. I shall get off before long. I’ll see you later.” “You had better let me finish you,” Pemberton urged, lending himself to the child’s strange superiority. Morgan stopped in their walk, looking up at him. He had to look up much less than a couple of years before—he had grown, in his loose leanness, so long and high. “Finish me?” he echoed. “There are such a lot of jolly things we can do together yet. I want to turn you out—I want you to do me credit.” Morgan continued to look at him. “To give you credit—do you mean?” “My dear fellow, you’re too clever to live.” “That’s just what I’m afraid you think. No, no; it isn’t fair—I can’t endure it. We’ll separate next week. The sooner it’s over the sooner to sleep.” “If I hear of anything—any other chance—I promise to go,” Pemberton said. Morgan consented to consider this. “But you’ll be honest,” he demanded; “you won’t pretend you haven’t heard?” “I’m much more likely to pretend I have.” “But what can you hear of, this way, stuck in a hole with us? You ought to be on the spot, to go to England—you ought to go to America.” “One would think you were _my_ tutor!” said Pemberton. Morgan walked on and after a little had begun again: “Well, now that you know I know and that we look at the facts and keep nothing back—it’s much more comfortable, isn’t it?” “My dear boy, it’s so amusing, so interesting, that it will surely be quite impossible for me to forego such hours as these.” This made Morgan stop once more. “You _do_ keep something back. Oh you’re not straight—_I_ am!” “How am I not straight?” “Oh you’ve got your idea!” “My idea?” “Why that I probably shan’t make old—make older—bones, and that you can stick it out till I’m removed.” “You _are_ too clever to live!” Pemberton repeated. “I call it a mean idea,” Morgan pursued. “But I shall punish you by the way I hang on.” “Look out or I’ll poison you!” Pemberton laughed. “I’m stronger and better every year. Haven’t you noticed that there hasn’t been a doctor near me since you came?” “_I’m_ your doctor,” said the young man, taking his arm and drawing him tenderly on again. Morgan proceeded and after a few steps gave a sigh of mingled weariness and relief. “Ah now that we look at the facts it’s all right!” CHAPTER VII