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dn't have listened!" said Mark.
"What, sir!" cried Sir James Roche hotly. "And pray why shouldn't I have listened?"
"Because--because--"
"Because--because! Well, go on, sir."
"Well, Dr Robertson said something to us boys one day about what he called eavesdropping."
"Tut, tut, sir!" cried the boy's father irascibly. "You dare to tell me I was eavesdropping, when you three come in from your walk, and plump yourselves down at the end of the room and go on talking till you wake me up? How could I help being interested and sitting back listening to the doctor's travels? Don't I pay him to teach you boys a lot of his knowledge, and if by accident I hear some of what he says, haven't I a right to it?"
"And you have heard all I have said, sir?" said the doctor, speaking as if he were moved.
"Yes, my dear sir, everything when once I was well awake, and very fine it was. Why, Mark--Dean--didn't I suggest that I should like to hear some more?"
"Yes, uncle, you did," said Dean; "but--"
"What, sir? Are you siding with Mark, and going to accuse your uncle of being an eavesdropper?"
"No, uncle, but--"
"Hang your buts, you impudent young dog! But--but--"
"You said hang buts, uncle."
"Bah! Pooh! Well, really, doctor, I suppose I ought to have spoken when I woke up, and put you all on your guard in case you might have-- Here, what does the old proverb say? `Listeners never hear any good of themselves.' Of course you might have said--you, Mark, boy, I mean-- said that I was a stingy old fellow and didn't allow you enough pocket money."
"Well, I don't think you do, father," cried Mark; "but I shouldn't have said so."
"Good boy! But I do allow you, sir, twice as much as my father used to allow me when I was your age. And then Dean might have followed it up by talking about my temper."
"I shouldn't, uncle."
"Ah, I don't know, sir. I am what Mrs Blinks calls a bit trying when my gout's bad. And then I might have heard