I might, to be sure, interpose a mandate at this late
hour and cut off little Fred in the flower of his renown, and (to quote
my wife once more) break his heart; which might be a more serious
consequence than a broken leg. No, I am inclined to think, on the
whole, now that the mischief is done, we may as well let him follow the
path he has chosen, especially as Leggatt has his eye on him and has
promised to give him a start. We must live in the hope that the breath
will not be trampled out of him once too often before that desirable
result is brought to pass. Moreover, if he is borne of the field on a
litter, it will not be in the presence of his parents. We have seen
one gladiatorial combat, and our thirst for gore is sated.
Henceforth we shall be content to cower by the hearth on the days when
the great matches are played and fancy each ring at the door-bell the
summons of a telegraphic emissary. And by way of celebrating our first
escape from bereavement, I am going to present our David with a gold
watch for the excellent showing he made in his studies last summer.
VI
Little Fred has been graduated from college without the loss of his
front teeth or an eye. He has a few scars, which will not permanently
disfigure him; and though he halts slightly as the result of a strained
tendon in the calf of one of his legs, Dr.
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