"Very well, we'll see," the doctor answered. "If the sun is out I daresay we shall be able to run our hoop a little bit to-morrow. But we must be careful not to over-tire ourselves. Anything more, my little man?"
"Yes. Why did you forget to leave the 'scription for my tonic yesterday?" continued Chris. "And will you remember it to-day?"
The doctor laughed, but with some constraint. Briggs looked up anxiously, and the smile vanished from Granny's face.
"What! Are we so fond of medicine?" the doctor asked, trying to speak as before, but unable to prevent a touch of annoyance being heard in his voice. "Little boys don't generally care for it so much. Yes, I will leave the prescription to-day."
"There, there, that will do," interposed Granny nervously, moving towards the door.
"But there is one other question I want to ask very much," Chris said, again feigning to refer to his paper.
"Yes?" said the doctor inquiringly, pausing in his progress towards the door.
"What do you do with your head when it isn't on your shoulders?" he asked, with the innocent expression always to be seen upon his face when he was creating the greatest awkwardness.
At this question Briggs became scarlet, looked as if she were about to speak, then appeared to alter her mind, and, turning her back, busied herself arranging the medicine-bottles on a little table near the crib. The doctor himself appeared more bewildered than anything else.
"What do you mean?" he said. "Where can my head be except on my shoulders?"
"Well, that was what I thought," Chris said, triumphantly. "I said you'd be dead if your head was off your shoulders."
"I should have concluded that everyone must have been of the same opinion," he said, still mystified, whilst Granny shook her head gently, and frowned at the little beggar, hoping to prevent any further discussion of the subject. A futile hope. Chris was resolved to go to the bottom of the matter.
"Well, Briggs said it wasn't!" he exclaimed, "and what did she mean?"
The doctor's expression of mystification changed to one of annoyance, as he remarked with no little displeasure:
"I think you had better ask Briggs herself for an explanation of her remark," then left, accompanied by Granny--poor Granny, awkward and mortified beyond measure at the embarrassing situation.