"Then," said the doctor, "it's perfectly clear that some one must have entered."
"Let hib cobe agaid," cried Tom, "odly let hib cobe. He shall rebebber it—I'll fix hib!"
"We must have some iron bars put up," said the doctor. "We shall be safe enough from all intrusion then. And now," he added, addressing Sylvester, "as your aunt has heard nothing of this affair, and as the knowledge of it may unnecessarily alarm her, I think that in her presence we had better be silent on the subject. You understand?"
"Perfectly," said Sylvester. "I think so too."
"We must prevent its recurrence."
"Leave that to be," said Tom; "I'll settle that."
"Very well: do so," returned the doctor. "Now let us go down to breakfast."
"I say," whispered Tom, keeping Sylvester back, "do you kdow what a bad-trap is?"
"A man-trap? Oh, yes."
"That will be the thidg; I'll get wud of theb. I'll badage it. I thidk I kdow where I cad buy wud."
"But where will you place it?"
"Just udder the widdow: so that whed he jubps dowd he bay put his foot id it. That'll fix hib. He'll rebebber it, whoever he bay be. But dod't say a word to the old swells below. They wouldd't have it. They'd say, 'We'll dot pudish, but prevedt.' But I wadt to catch hib. By object is to serve hib out: first, od accoudt of the destructiod of by wobad; add secoddly, id codsequedce of his havidg beed the pribe cause of by beidg bade bost udjustly a victib. I therefore should like to catch hib very buch iddeed, add whed I do catch hib, I'll give hib codfidedtially a thrashidg, which shall redder it the happiest day of by life. Therefore, bub's the word."
Sylvester promised to be silent on the subject, and they followed the doctor into the breakfast-room, where they found Aunt Eleanor and Mrs. Delolme already seated. As he entered, Sylvester was greeted with great affection, both by Mrs. Delolme and his aunt; but Tom, having shaken hands warmly with Aunt Eleanor, sat down in silence, for, as he privately explained to Sylvester, a single glance at the other lady tended to convince him that he knew exactly what it was o'clock.
And really Mrs. Delolme did look very severe. She believed that he had told an abominable falsehood, and having resolved on introducing him in the course of the morning to the Reverend Mr. Terre, she felt it to be her duty to preface the introduction with a well sustained look of severity. But the doctor appeared to be in excellent spirits. He chatted with all of them gaily—spoke of the various exhibitions in town, of the public improvements, and so on, with an accurate knowledge of each, and in a strain which induced Aunt Eleanor to wish to see them all. Immediately after breakfast, however, Mrs. Delolme, having previously intimated to Aunt Eleanor her desire to introduce her to the Reverend Mr. Terre, secured her for the morning; and when the carriage had been ordered, she requested Tom to prepare to accompany them forthwith.
