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CROWELL & CO. 13 ASTOR PLACE R ;*. .r .i *: *< i- f B ' "~~OPYRIGHT,- Ioz '''8-" *'-.'..' I," 'y BlY THOMAS Y. CROWELL & CO. ';. 5^ '.'** *. :. t ~BOSTON. * .' Si-' '-' '*''' ' ' /' "' '' - ' ' *~~ *g i' ; - '' ,*,'"*' "'" .-.is "-, CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. AN ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT .5 11. THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE" 17. . III. THE SKY-ROOM .. . 4 IV. THE UNWELCOME GUEST 58 V. COMPROMISES. .. . :. ..i. 87 VI. TWo LESSONS FROM NATURE. III VII. PIERRE'S STORY .' . 141 VIII. AT THE COTTAGE .. 185 IX. LOST. .. .. 207 X. TROUBLE . ......... 237 XI. GOING FOR RUTH . ... .262 XII. THE DAY ..... 291 XIII. GOING TO THE HARBOR ... :. ..328 XIV. ODDS AND ENDS-. . .. 350 ~b~a~ ,~~, F1~P;~~ I~""i;ii ~i:II iiii~l;~"B:ffi R~.% ":;"t;l;i~ii~~iii~,~:~lii. ci~ii~~ ;i.''. ';" ~~l;E~; A'~~ ~,: LP ~~i"i~L~a;x;i: ,: ~~:i;;i~~I.:;'l:E-'~~ 'd i::. ::~',: ~~:~~.,:;:~ '~ra'.~'~ :."1.:.~:'i~B:":zB : r"l;"srr,*i,,~Si~Fi";'";pk B ~iil ;..am;- t:i ~:ia~q~~ :.l~i.rlli:..h.. :1.:. j i -i:-i: _i i- I.i i- :1~~11~~111~~ ,,.;~ i;,1 ~gl2~i~i~ ~~Ere rl ~~?i is -"""';~~ ~i~~:Ea,3 .,~ ': I~~ - ?~':;EII~':~;.~~'~" ~iIlil;E ~Ti~l ~?i -,-~i"01~ :8:~~EEalAB 1 1-.~ -iiz.:ii i I - ", ~~?~~l;i~ ,! ri~ih :"I:~- li;fi 1~ 5~~5 .' .: 1~4 s~ e I g : i ~El.ii a,!; *j;:,:r4~"''" ;"Iil~~~~ c~ri~I~.lr :CBi~alam~J 8::~w;l dkani~tl;'~a;W~i;, S PROFESSOR JOHNNY. CHAPTER I. AN ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT. JOHNNY had been named The Professor by some of his young friends, because he wore spectacles, was fond of studying natural philos- ophy and chemistry, and of performing experi- ments. He had become so used to the name that he did not mind it much, even when some of the rude boys in the street called him Pro- fessor or Prof. His merry little sister Sue, also, was quite as apt to call him Prof. as Johnny. One evening in June, Johnny and Sue were at home alone. Their father and mother were making calls; and Kate, the girl, had gone out marketing. It was not very uncommon for them to be in the house alone; for although Sue was rather wild and thoughtless, Johnny was very quiet and thoughtful, and Sue had been taught to mind him when her parents were away. 5 6 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. Johnny had been reading, and Sue amusing herself by undressing her doll and putting it to bed; but after the doll was in bed, and sup- posedly sound asleep, she could not think of any thing else to do by herself, and so began to tease Johnny to put up his book and play with her. Johnny was so much interested in his book that he paid but little attention to her at first, merely replying that he would play by and by. But finally Sue took hold of his book play- fully, saying, - "I mean to take away your book, for you have read long enough: mamma would say so herself if she were here." Johnny laughed. "That's a very handy excuse for you: when- ever you want me to play, you have a sudden anxiety about my eyes." "But you know it's just what papa and mamma say, that you read too much, and they ask you to stop reading a good deal oftener than I do. I'm sure, if they had been here, you would have had to put up that book half an hour ago." "I shouldn't wonder if you were right about that. Well, what shall we do ? Shall we play tcheckers? " "Oh, no don't let's play any thing still : let's romp a little." AN ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT. 7 "Romp! exclaimed Johnny, making up a comical face. "You know I hate romping. Let us play a game of chess." No: you always beat me at those games, and so it isn't any fun; but I can beat you at romping, and so I like it. Besides, papa and mamma say it is better for you to exercise more, and they like to have you romp with me. "I should think you were setting up for a doctress, if I didn't know you better. You are the greatest girl to get up excuses for whatever you want to do. But I suppose there'll be no peace until I romp." Johnny put down his book with a sigh and a smile. Sue said, Come, let's play tag. Catch me if you can!" and ran off into the dining- room. As the gas was only lighted in the front hall and in the sitting-room, it was pretty dark in the dining-room ; but this suited Sue all the better: she ran around the table, with Johnny after her; and, as she hit now and then against the table, the dishes rattled ominously. She was laughing uproariously all the time, and evi- dently thought of nothing but the sport of dodg- ing Johnny, at all risks. "This won't do," said Johnny, coming to a stand-still, as Sue, in trying to escape him as - he turned suddenly in the direction in which )~i~ 8 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. she was running, knocked over a pitcher near the end of the table: we shall be sure to break something before long, at this rate." "Let's go into the kitchen, then," replied Sue: "there isn't any fire in the stove, and we can't hurt any thing there. It'll be real nice and dark too: I'll bet I can hide where you can't find me." "All right," said Johnny; and Sue danced into the kitchen, and hid behind the door. Johnny cornered her at once, however; for it happened to be lighter there than in the dining-room. "Why, this is real queer!" exclaimed Sue, in a half vexed tone, as Johnny pulled- her from her hiding-place : "it isn't dark here a single mite " So it isn't," replied Johnny. "I wonder what makes it so light The light comes in at the window. There must be a lamp in the shed, or out on the platform." Johnny opened the door and went out. Sue followed him. The "platform" extended some little distance from the back-door, and was covered by a roof : it might have been called a piazza or a porch but for its width. At the side of the "platform" was what Johnny called the " shed :" it had been intended only for storage of wood and coal, but was so large that a small summer kitchen had been partitioned off next AN ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT 9 to the kitchen, with a door into the kitchen, and another opening upon the: platform. This kitchen was used in warm weather for baking, washing, and ironing, in order to keep the heat out of the house. Kate had been ironing that afternoon, and the fire in the stove had no gone out. As soon as they were outside the door, Sue set up a cry of alarm. "Fire! Fire !" she cried. The house is on fire! 0 Johnny, let's run off! we shall get burned up !" Johnny stood quite still, and said nothing. O Johnny! come come what makes you stand there ? It's going to explode! It'll reach over here, and set the house on fire! Let's run out into the street, and call some one to come ! What makes you stand there, and not call out ? You'll let the house burn up! But I sha'n't go and let you be burned up: you've got to come She took hold of his jacket, and pulled with all her might; for she thought Johnny was too frighined to stir. "Keep still, Sue: I'm thinking," he replied, looking calmly and fixedly at the alarming light in the shed-window. "I can't get at it through this door very well: I guess I'll go around through the kitchen-door." 10 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. You ain't going near it ? cried Sue, in as- tonishment and alarm. "Of course I am: I can't put it out without : going near it."; . "" ; : You sha'n't do it! There! It's getting worse than ever! 0 Johnny, come in !- It's going to explode this minute !" Johnny came in, but it was not on account of Sue's direction : he had just thought what to do. The danger proceeded from a kerosene-lamp which stood in the summer kitchen, on a table, near the window facing the platform. It was streaming up very high, and blazing in a very remarkable and peculiar manner, as if on the point of instant explosion: the flashing and flickering were what had lighted up the kitchen so strangely. On entering the kitchen, Johnny seized a: piece of carpet which was in front of the sink, and ran with it toward the inner door of the shed. "You sha'n't go in there, Johnny! ", cried Sue. "You're going to kill yourself, and me, too, 'cause I sha'n't run away and leave you,; and she began to cry bitterly. But Johnny hurried on into the shed, and Sue dared not: follow him : she was only just brave enough not to run out of the house, and leave him there to die or be horribly burned alone. w'lii~rid ~n-ino th sh~, ~ S~~d~a 'Ii ~ll~ii:1 AN ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT. I Just then Kate returned. As she stepped upon theplatform, and saw the alarmi speta cle, she screamed wildly, Fire help! help " ust at that moment, too, a boy in the neigh hood, who had heard Sue's cries, came rushing into the yard. Hearing Kate's outcry, and see- ing the blaze in the shed, he rushed into the street, shouting "Fire! at the top of his voice, and telling everybody he met that the back part of Mr. Le Bras' house was all in a blaze. The first man who heard the news gave the signal at the alarm-box at the corner. But before Kate or Sue could scream again, Johnny had darted through the inner door, and thrown the rug over the lamp. Johnny! Johnn! run! run! it'll explode: now, sure !" cried Kate wildly, thinking the carpet would send the blaze down into the lamp: instantly. But all was in darkness. Johnny Oh where is he ?" screamed Sue, almost fancying he must have died with the blaze somehow. Sure, and there ain't any fire now at all! said Kate, in wonderment. Where are you, Johnny ? " "Here I am," said a calm voice at her elbow. "Didn't that go out quickly? I knew it would i as soon as the rug was over it, but I was a lit- tle afraid it might explode before I could get it 12 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. covered: I didn't really believe it would, though; for father says he is always very careful to get the best of kerosene." SWhat a brave boy!" said Kate admiringly. But you oughtn't to have risked your life so, Johnny. And what could have ailed that lamp ? I'll light a candle, and go and see what the mat- ter was; forIn't dn'tare touch another kerosene- lamp. I left that one all right when I went off, about an hour and a half ago." After lighting the gas in the kitchen, Kate lighted a candle, and entered the shed, pre- ceded by Johnny. Sue still feared it was un- safe, and stood on the platform, telling them they had better not go in. Kate took up the end of the rug, and peered cautiously underneath, p arpared to run and pull Johnny after her if there was a spark of fire left; but, as all was dark, she assisted Johnny to remove the rug. The lamp appeared to be all right. Johnny put his hand upon the glass portion. "Why, see how hot it is, Katie!" he said: "it must have got heated standing in this little warm room so near the stove, and that made the kerosene swell, I guess, and go up in the wick, and run over at the top; and so the kero- sene was on fire on the outside,-that was all." "That was all !" exclaimed Sue, who had now AN ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT. 13 ventured to follow them. "Well, I should think that was enough. I never was so scared in all my life.- But there's a fire somewhere, for there's the bell ringing." Sure enough," said Johnny; "and it's our box too!" At that moment, a number of men and boys came running into the yard. "Where's the fire ?" said the foremost man, as he stepped hurriedly upon the platform. "There isn't any fire here," replied Johnny: "a kerosene-lamp was blazing, that's all; but we've put it out." Then" the men went off laughing, and the boys hooting. Kate let the fire down in the grate, saying she was going to have every spark of fire out in that stove before she went to bed ; and the children went back into the sitting- room. . Well, Sue," said Johnny, "I hope you've had all the romping you want for this evening." Just then a key turned hurriedly in the door, and Mr. Le Bras entered, followed by Mrs. Le Bras. Mr. Le Bras glanced at Sue and Johnny without.saying a word; and Mrs. Le Bras sank into a chair, looking very pale and helpless. Mr. Le Bras went to the dining-room an got some water, without saying a word to the chil- dren, who stood by in great alarm. *' *. , 14 PROFESSOR JOHNNY "What is the matter with mamma?" asked Sue, in a hushed voice. Mr. Le Bras offered his wife the water, but she shook her head. "I shall feel better pres- ently," she said, in a faint voice. : Can, the house be on fire, and they not know it, Frank? " "No, indeed," replied Mr. Le Bras; "and Ii told you the engine would not have gone back into the engine-house unless it were a false alarm, or the fire was put out." Then he said, turning to Johnny, "The fire has been put out, hasn't it, my son? " "Yes," said Johnny: "it wasn't any thing but a kerosene-lamp blazing up in the summer kitchen." And 'twas Johnny who put it out," said Sue. "Sue and Katie screamed, and made the alarm," said Johnny.- "So they got the engine started, did they ? " "Yes," replied Mr. Le Bras: "it was just going back into the engine-house when we came by there. As we turned the corner, we heard a man saying our house was on fire; and I thought your mother would die before I got her home, although I called her attention to the fact that the engine was going back." "I feel better now," said Mrs. Le Bras. "So A ACCIDENTAL EXPERIMENT. 15 there hasn't been a fire at all! I never had such a fright before in all my life! But Mrs. Le Bras was still so nervous that her husband would not allow the children to talk about the accident any more, after they and Katie had fully explained the occurrence. The corversation regarding it was ended for the evening by Johnny's saying to his father, "That was a pretty good experiment to illustrate how soon a fire will stop if the supply of oxygen is cut off : only it was an accidental experiment." "aIt could I ot properly be called an experi- x ient," replied his fasther: a experiment is something done purposely; but it answered the same purpose." "I don't undterstand why the fire went out when Johnny threw can b the nlrug over it," said Sue. "That's what I can't understand," added Kate. "I'll explain it to you to-morrow," said Johnny. "Alec Miner is coming over to-morrow after school to see me perform some experiments: and while I am performing some of them, I will explain how a fire is caused by the uniting of oxygen with carbon and hydrogen; for it is nothing but a chemical union, like ever so many that can be made; only it is so common 16 PROFESSOR JOHNNY "So common that folks don't think about it ? said Sue. "Johnny has stated it very well," said Mr. Le Bras, smiling. "If you saw a fire for the first time, Sue, you would be very anxious to: know what produced the heat and the bright:i light; but because you have seen the phenom- enon so often, ever since you can remember, you never think to ask the cause of it." . THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 17 CHAPTER II. THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE". SOMETHING happened the next day to dis- turb Johnny's naturally good spirits. When he got home from school at noon, Sue met him at the door with, - Something has happened to make you feel awful bad, Johnny. It came this morning in a letter; and mamma said I might prepare your mind for it, but I mustn't tell you right out in the first place." Mr. Le Bras, who was in the sitting-room when Sue made this announcement, began to laugh heartily. "Well, well, Sue he said: if your mother heard how well you tell bad news, I am afraid she would not trust you to do it again. Why, [you have given Johnny a regular bomb-shell to begin with!" "I guess it isn't any thing so bad as you pre- tend, Sue, since father is laughing at it," re- plied Johnny cheerfully, although his face had I8 PROFESSOR JOHNNY fallen considerably before his father began to laugh. "I'll bet you," said Sue, looking quite dis- turbed at her father's interference in her news- telling, "that he's only laughing so as not to let you think it's so bad as it is : but now he's begun, he can tell it to you his own self; though mother said I might." Sue went off into the dining-room, where Kate was, with tears in her eyes, and something very like a pout about her mouth. "I think papa was too bad !" she said. "What is it, father?" asked Johnny, after Sue had disappeared. "I think I'll let Sue tell, when she gets over her pet," replied Mr.nLe Bras. "The heavens are not going to fall, Johnny. I think you are enough of a philosopher to rise above the ca- lamity, although I really suppose you will feel pretty badly in the first place." "This is funny enough," said Johnny, not knowing whether to laugh or feel anxious: al- though, of course, he saw it must be only an in- dividual annoyance pertaining to himself, and not a household misfortune, since his father was inclined to laugh so heartily over it. Just then Mrs. Le Bras entered the room. "Mother," asked Johnny, "what dreadful thing has happened to me ?" pssv '^ ':*"** . ^'^'y, THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 19 Hasn't Sue told you?" replied his mother. "No," said Johnny, and he related what had Sue has prepared your mind for it, then, and your father has shown that it is something that can be lived through: I think that will do until Sue gets ready to tell you the rest ; for, al- though she is inclined to be sulky, I think I will not break my promise of letting her tell you, unless she gets to be very naughty iin- deed." Kate then announced that dinner was ready; and they all went into the dining-room, and sat down at the table. Sue was there in her place by Johnny's side; but she said nothing more about the bad news, and looked quite dignified as well as very sober. "Come, Sue," said Johnny coaxingly, "tell me what has happened." "No: papa can tell you, since he couldn't let me do it my own self." "I don't see what bad news could possibly come to me in a letter." "But there has, and that's all I'm going to say about it: papa can tell you," replied Sue resolutely. "Don't tease Sue. to tell you," said his mother. If it were good news, you would nat-, urally be anxious to hear it; but since Sue as-. . .... .* .. .. :. ; * :; '* :: ": G s' fe :' 20 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. sures you that it is bad news, the longer you are ignorant of it the better." "Only it rather keeps me in suspense," said Johnny, smiling. Come, Sue, tell me, please." "No, I sha'n't," said Sue, shaking her head resolutely. Mr. Le Bras gave Johnny a look which meant,i "Don't ask her to tell ;" and nothing more was said about the bad news that noon. Johnny went off to school in quite goodi spirits : and when he got home, and found Alec there, and his sister Belle with him, he was wholly forget- ful of the calamitous news in store for him ; so that he had quite a.little respite between the first hint of the coming misfortune and the bit- ter realization of it which arrived shortly after- wards. After talking upon ordinary topics with his visitors for a little while, Johnny said, Since you wanted to see some little experiments, if you will go up in my laboratory I will perform a few. As I haven't any but the very simplest apparatus, and besides don't know much about chemistry and philosophy, I can't show you much; but I'll do the best I can."- "You know a good deal more than I do," replied Alec. "I expect to study chemistry and philosophy at the high school next year; but I don't know any thing about them now, and, of THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 21 course, Belle don't; she just came over with me out of curiosity, 'when I tVold her you had prom- if I would come over to-day." Is there any particular subject you would like to have illustrated? asked ohnny p :'.'. .. :.ised to..I~ ~ E .. ...w' .m i . litely. "No," replied Alec: "one thing will do just as well as another." Then, perhaps you would like to see how two "chemicals will combine to make a third entirely different from either of the two." "Yes," replied Belle, "I should like that very much." "So should I," said Alec. I think I'll call Sue to go into the laboratory with us, as I promised to show her some ex- periments when you were here; -if you will please excuse me a moment." Presently Johnny came back with Sue. As soon as Sue got into the room, she said, "Johnny's going to tell us all about fire, and how the rug came to put the lamp out." Of course, then Johnny had to explain what Sue meant; and that led to a full account of the accident of the evening before, and how Sue and Kate got out the fire-engine, which inter- este d and amused the visitors very much. The laboratory was a small room at the end 22 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. of the upper hall. As there were plenty of rooms up-stairs, there had never been a bed in it; and after Johnny began to have so many chemicals, and to experiment so much, Mrs. Le Bras had taken up the carpet, and allowed him to use the room for a laboratory. :Mr.S' Le Bras had hired a carpenter to put some shelves in the front part of the closet; and here were arranged the various bottles, jars, saucers, tumblers, pipes, tubes, and other appliances which Johnny had collected. There was a table in the centre of the room, with a chair beside it. "I will get some chairs," said Johnny, disap- pearing as soon as the guests were ushered in; while Sue politely offered the chair to Belle. "Johnny don't have company in the labora- tory very often," she explained. Johnny came back immediately, bringing two chairs; but Alec said he did not care to sit down at present. As for Johnny, he was very busy taking things from the closet-shelf, and arranging them on the table, talking all the time. I suppose you know what chemical union is ?" said Johnny to Alec. "No, I don't think I do," replied Alec hesi- tatingly. That is, although I know what union means, and what chemical means, I am not sure what they mean together." K K'" -. :*** '*:i;;:: "You know how sugar and salt dissolve in water, the particles of sugar and salt lying be- tween the particles of water, just as a whole lot of different kinds of little seeds might be all mixed together without uniting at all ?~ S'I never thought about tha before," replied Alec. "I didn't suppose fluid could be compared to seeds; and I had an idea that the salt and sugar became fluid somehow when they were dissolved, and so mixed in with the water." "The particles of the water are very small; and the sugar and salt, when they come into contact with water, separate into very tiny par- tides, which fill in the places between the par- ticles of water until there is no room left, and then all the sugar or salt you put in afterwards settles to the bottom by itself. But there is no union at all between the salt or sugar and the water; that is, they do not unite to form any different substance." While Johnny was saying this, he was pour- ing some grayish powder into a cup. Then he put an old spoon in the powder, and took a vial of yellow liquid from the shelf. "This is whiting," said' Johnny. "If I put some water on it, and stir them together, I shall have nothing but whiting and water. Perhaps I'd better prove that first." Here he took out a spoonful of the whiting, 24 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. and put it into a little saucer, and poured some water upon it, and stirred it. There you have. a mixture similar to sugar and water, or salt and water; the ingredients are very closely mixed, but they are not united to form any different substance; if it should stand a while, the water would evaporate, and leave the same amount of real whiting. But now I will pour some vinegar on the whiting in the cup, and you will see a difference." Johnny poured some vinegar from the vial into the cup, and stirred the mixture with the spoon. "You see all those bubbles? Those. are bubbles of a kind of gas; as fast as they break, the gas that has been formed by the chemical union of the vinegar and whiting will pass into the air, and what is left in the cup will not be vinegar and whiting; there will be no real vine- i gar and no real whiting left; parts of each have united to make the gas; so each has lost something peculiar to itself, and cannot be the very same article that it was before." Some of the bubbles are real big, and you can't break them easily with the spoon," said Sue, who was stirring the mixture curiously. "I wish my soap-bubbles would be as tough." "Now," continued Johnny, "mixing the whit- ing and the vinegar caused a real chemical THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 25 union: two substances united to make a third substance entirely different from the two origi- nal ingredients." "I think I understand what a chemical union is now," said Alec. .. .And so do I," said Belle. "This would be a beautiful experiment to illustrate a chemical union, if it were not so very common," continued Johnny. As he spoke, he took a match from a match- safe he had placed on the table, struck it against the edge of the table, and held it out, smiling playfully. "Fire is one of the most beautiful chemical unions known; and the burning of a match is an excellent illustration of the different tem- peratures which different substances require, in order that they may unite with the oxygen in the air, or be on fire as we call it." As the match was pretty well burned by this time, Johnny applied the flame to a spirit-lamp upon the table, which was the principal purpose for which he had lighted the match. "A very moderate amount of heat will cause pphophorus, which is the substance on the end of the match, to form a chemical union with the oxygen in the air: brimstone requires a little higher temperature than phosphorus, but not so high as wood requires. The heat produced 26 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. by a little friction is enough to light the phos- phorus, the heat produced by the burning phos-i phorus is enough to cause the brimstone to take fire, and that produced by the burning brimstone is enough to cause the wood to burn; that is, to form a chemical union with oxygen. And, although the burning phosphorus or brim- stone would not have produced sufficient heat for lighting the lamp, the burning wood fur- nished the necessary temperature; so that the alcohol in the wick began the union at once, when the blaze of the wood came in contact with it." "I see now how it is that we kindle a coal- fire," replied Alec. "First we put some paper in the grate, and then some pine-kindlings, and then some charcoal, and then the hard coal : then we set the paper on fire with a match, and presently the coal is burning." "And we separate the kindlings so that the oxygen can get to them more easily," said Johnny. "How queer we never understood exactly why a fire was kindled in that way, until now," said Belle. "And I should never have thought of fire being a chemical union." "You can carry on the same principle a good deal farther," said Johnny. "From having a fire of coals, you might have a house on fire, and this THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 27 would produce heat sufficient to set the neigh- boring houses on fire; and the uniting of such a quantityofcarbon and hydrogen with oxygen, to make carbonic-acid gas, would create such a vacuum by the rising of the heated air andgas, that so much oxygen would rush in about the fire, in the form of a high wind, as to make the fire hotter and hotter, until, if it surrounded an iron building, it would burn it up just as easily as wood houses are burned in an ordiary fire; as was the case at the great Chicago fire, where so many fire-proof blocks were totally destroyed." But the iron buildings did not actually burn: they only melted down in the great heat," said Alec. Oh, no! they burned," said Johnny: "there is no trouble about burning iron up, if you get the right degree of heat."- "I should think there was a good deal of trouble about it, if great buildings they didn't mean to have burned, if there was a fire, did go and burn up right before their eyes," said Sue. "Do you mean that the iron really burned as wood does ?" said Belle. "Why, certainly," replied Johnny: "iron will burn up more completely than wood ; for when wood is burned, the earthy part remains in the form of ashes: but pure iron, which has no .. .' .' ' '*y 1s i 1 * ,. : '., ',h :" *. '. *.' * : ; ; -. ':' '. 28 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. earthy matter in it, will burn up completely; it will all combine with the oxygen in the air ,to form gas. When iron is in a mass, it takes a very intense heat to produce this chemical union with oxygen; but when it is separated into very small particles, it will burn in an ordi- nary fire." "If iron will burn up, I wonder we never see. it burning so," said Alec. "I've been in black- smiths' shops and founderies, and I never saw any iron burning up, although I've seen it at a white-heat." "The fires in blacksmiths' shops and foun- deries are not hot enough to burn iron in the mass," replied Johnny; "or, if they are, they can't get enough oxygen near enough to combine with it. At the great Chicago fire, the intense heatcaused such a high wid,that ca d h i i, is, such a flow of oxygen toward the fire, that the fire became so intensely hot there was no difficulty in the iron blazing and burning more completely than the wood." Here Johnny looked rather disconcerted at Alec's apparent incredulity. "But, Alec," said he, "if little particles of iron, such as you would file off of a bar of iron, will burn up, of course the whole bar could be burned if it was all filed up; and if the filings could be burned in an ordinary lamp like this, THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 29 why couldn't the whole bar be burned in afire that was hot enough ?: "Yes," said Belle, who was troubled at Alec's being so impolite as to seem to doubt Johnny's word: "it's just like the difference between a log of wood and the sawdust produced by saw- ing the log in two; you couldn't burn the log without building a hot fire under it, while you could set the sawdust on fire with a match." "That is a very good illustration," said Johnny. "-Now, I lit this lamp to show you how nicely iron will burn." Johnny took a large-mouthed bottle from the shelf, which was about half full of rather bright particles. These are steel-filings I got at a machine- shop; but, if you prefer, I will get a nail and file, and let you make some iron-filings yourself, which will answer just as well. I keep the steel-filings because they are so handy. I just ask the men for them, and they give me a whole lot that last ever so long." Johnny then opened his knife, and, taking out some of the filings on the end of the blade, dropped them, or rather shook them, slowly into the flame. Oh, how pretty!" exclaimed Belle: "they burn something like gunpowder.". "So they actually burn up, and don't just 30 PROFESSOR JOHNNIY. get red-hot and fall down and cool ?" said Alec. "Oh, yes!" replied Johnny: "they burn up just like so much sawdust, only more so; for there would be some ashes left of sawdust, even though they might be invisible." So the filings have combined with the oxy- gen in the air, and gone off in gas?" said Belle. "Yes," replied Johnny. "I wish you would file some iron," said Sue, "because that experiment makes such pretty fireworks." "Very well, I will, if you will go down and bring me a piece of iron from papa's tool-box." Sue ran off, and Johnny continued,- "I think I'll show you now how I make gas on a small scale." What kind of gas ?" inquired Alec. . "Oh! such gas as we burn in stores and houses. I've got my pipe already prepared : if I hadn't, I couldn't show you that experiment very well to-day. I got the pipe ready to show to a boy who was coming to see me last week; but he was sick and didn't come, so I didn't use' the pipe." Johnny took a common clay pipe from his closet, and showed Alec and Belle that the top of the ball of the pipe was closed with plaster of Paris. THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 31 "I pounded a little piece of bituminous coal, such as they use at the gas-works," said Johnny, "and nearly filled the bowl of the pipe with it; then I wet a little plaster of Paris, and closed the end of the bowl to make it air-tight, that is, to keep out the oxygen. There are carbon and hydrogen in the coal, and they will both combine with oxygen very quickly at the right degree of heat : the hydrogen will form a flame, and the carbon will look bright as you see it in a piece of burning wood or coal. But you see the pipe is fixed so that the oxygen can't get at the coal at that end."' "Is the flame of a fire or a lamp caused by the burning of hydrogen ?" inquired Belle. "Yes: the flame is the hydrogen combining with oxygen, and the glowing coal or wick is the carbon uniting with oxygen. The gas from the gas-works is the hydrogen of the coal sepa- rated from the carbon. When we heat it with a match to set it to uniting with oxygen, we have nothing but a flame. You know the coal is heated in air-tight retorts; it is heated hot enough to burn, but it can't burn because there is no oxygen for it to unite with ; but the heat causes the hydrogen to separate from the car- bon, and then it finds its way out through the opening in the retort into the pipes, and when it reaches the air at the end of a pipe, you can 32 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. heat it a little with a match, and it will begin to unite with the oxygen." SAnd the coal that is left in the retorti isii called coke. I have seen it very often," said Alec: "the reason it looks different from coal,; and burns differently, then, is because it has lost its hydrogen ? " "Yes," replied Johnny: "almost all ordinary combustibles are composed of carbon and hy- drogen, wood, coal, oil, etc.; and there are a great many other things that oxygen has a great affinity for, and will combine with at the right temperature : the things that it won' combine with are such as have all the oxygen in them that they will contain, like dirt and stones and ashes." "And how about the pipe ?" asked Alec. "Why, after Sue gets back with the piece of :l iron, we will go down and set the ball of the pipe in Katie's fire. When it gets hot, we shall- see a smoke coming out of the pipe, which will be composed chiefly of hydrogen gas : we will: touch a match to it, and there will be a flame at the end of the pipe until all the hydrogen" which was in the coal in the ball of the pipe. has united with oxygen. That is one way to make gas on a very small scale." And then, if we break the plaster of Paris, and take out what is left of the coal, we shall; have some coke," said Alec. /;, THE "ILLUSTRATED LEC7TURE." 33 "Yes," replied Johnny. Sue now appeared, bringing a small cold chisel. Johnny took a file from the closet, and placing the chisel over the flame of the lamp, began to file it briskly: beautiful little points of light at once commenced to play about the file and chisel at the point of contact. Why don't the filings fall down into the flame?" inquired Alec. * "I suppose the current in the flame blows them up, they are so small," replied Johnny, "or perhaps the motion of the file does." Alec, Belle, and Sue then took turns at mak- ing the fireworks," as Sue called them. "I think I understand now about fire being a chemical union between oxygen and other sub- stances," said Alec; "but I don't understand about the heat. What makes heat? or why does a chemical union of that kind produce heat ? " "Why, friction makes heat," replied Johnny; "particles of matter coming against each other violently. You know the Indians used to get the oxygen to combining with the carbon and hydrogen in two pieces of dry wood, by rubbing them together briskly; and before matches were invented, they kindled a fire by striking flint and steel over tinder; and a steel peg in your shoe-heel sometimes strikes fire on the pavement by the heat produced by friction;: 34 PROFESSOR JOHNNY and I think I have seen it stated, that, when oxygen is uniting with other substances, it is the very quick motion of the little particles of matter among themselves that produces the heat." I shouldn't think such little invisible parti- cles as those of oxygen and hydrogen could make friction enough by their motion as to pro- duce heat," said Alec. "Why, Alec," replied Belle, "don't you re- member what terrible force the air has in hur-; ricanes, and even in a common gale ? " "But that is in an immense volume," replied Alec. ". Oxygen is in a comparatively mild and harmless state when it is by itself," said Johnny; "but when it gets to combining with any thing it has a great affinity for, it is in a sort of rage. I think myself that there must be some pretty rapid motion going on in a fire, even if we can't see it." Johnny had handed the chisel to Sue, telling her to put it right back where she found it. "Well, I will," replied Sue; "but I guess things won't be put back in their right places much after Felix gets here." Sue had no sooner said this, than she clapped her hand over her mouth. Oh !" she ex- claimed, "if I haven't gone and told!" THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 35 Johnny's face had grown very long in an in- stant. Is that your bad news ? he said. When is Felix coming ? " SI don't know," replied Sue: you'll have to ask mamma, for she was to decide." Sue then went back with the chisel, and Alec said, - So your cousin Felix is coming again, is he ? " "I suppose so," replied Johnny briefly, as if it was not a very pleasant topic. What a funny boy he is said Belle. I never saw him but once, and only for a few minutes; but he seemed to be ready for any kind of mischief." "Yes," replied Johnny: "he's as fond of noise and mischief as oxygen is of carbon and hydrogen; but I guess he won't stay very long." This latter reflection seemed to console Johnny, for he began to look tolerably cheer- ful again. "Shall we go and make hydrogen gas now ? said he. But at that moment, Sue came running back, exclaiming, - "Some folks in a carriage are having an ac- cident right out by our front-door! " 36 PROFESSOR JOHATY. "What kind of an accident ?" inquired Johnny. Is it a runaway ?" inquired Belle. "No, it isn't a runaway, for they can t get the wagon to move: at any rate, I heard a mani say the wheel wouldn't turn around." . Let's go and see," said Alec. So they all went out at the front-door to see what was the matter. SThey found a carryall and a span of horses standing near the sidewalk. A lady and a little girl were in the carryall. Two gentlemen were examining one of the wheels, and several boys stood near looking on. "I don't know what ails it," said one of the men; "but the wheel won't turn around, that's sure. I think we'll have to go and ask a black- smith to come and see to it." Johnny and Alec went out on the sidewalk, while Belle and Sue stood on the doorstep. "I guess it's a hot wheel," said Johnny to Alec. "What did you say ?" asked one of the gen- tlemen, turning around quickly. S"I said perhaps it is a hot wheel," replied Johnny. Oh, no!" said the gentleman, looking rather perplexed: "the wheel is not hot at all." "No," said Johnny, "it isn't hot now ; but SI~ ?^^""i;- ' f *'** ' perhaps it has been hot, and that caused the wheel to get welded to the axle so that it wouldn't turn; and after it wouldn't turn, there was no friction, and so the wheel cooled." "I- shouldn't wonder if he is right," said the other gentleman: "that often happens tocar- wheels on a fast train, and we have been driv- ing pretty fast, you know." "Well, young man," said the other gentle- man, "since you know so much about wheels, can you tell me why this wheel should act so, while the others are all right ? " "I presume it wasn't greased so well as the others," replied Johnny. Just then a man who was passing by stopped to see what was the matter:. he was a mechanic coming home from the rifle-factory, which, closed at five o'clock. He asked a few ques- tions, looked at the wheel, and said, "Oh! that's a hot wheel: you'll have to prop the carriage up, and pound it off from the axle. You've been doing a little blacksmithing as you came along. I presume the wheel and the axle are pretty neatly welded together, but yet not so much so but that a little artificial blacksmithing will set it all right again." Then there was considerable stirring about the carriage was propped up under the direc- tions of the mechanic, and, after a good deal of *" ~ . . 38 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. hammering, the wheel was pronounced all right. Johnny brought out an oil-can; and, after the wheel was well oiled, the gentleman thanked everybody around, and offered to pay all who had helped, includiig Johnny. But every one refused to take any pay, except two or three boys who had hindered more than they had helped. That was a pretty good illustration of the effect of friction," said Alec. "Yes," replied Johnny. "Now let us go in and make the gas." "I sha'n't be able to stop any longer now, thank you," said Alec, "as my father told me to be home by half-past five. But I'll get a pipe and fix it myself, if I can find a piece of the right kind of -coal, and that will save your pipe until another time." "Sawdust, or almost any thing that will burn well, will answer to fill it with," said Johnny. "I am ever so much obliged for your illus- trated lecture," said Alec. I've learned a good deal, and I wish you would come over to our house some day before long. I can't per- form many experiments yet, but we'll have a good time somehow. I mean to begin to per- form experiments, and study up about these things. I am two years older than you are, but I don't know half as much as you do." 4- f' '" l THE "ILLUSTRATED LECTURE." 30 "You know ever so muchmore than I do about history," said Johnny, "and Dick knows more about carpentry, and Fred about print- ing." "And that's the way it is with grown-up folks," said Belle : "one takes to one thing, and an- other to another; and so, between them all; the different kinds of work in the world get done." As for me," said Sue, I like to have a good time most any way. After their visitors were gone, Johnny went in to ask his mother about Felix. i "Why, my dear," replied Mrs. Le Bras, "your aunt Mary is in very poor health, and is going to Europe on a three months' trip with your un- cle Louis. Your uncle thinks she will be much better if she-does not have the care of Felix; and yet she is unwilling to leave him behind, unless we will let him come here. Of course, we could not refuse; although it will be a great care for me, and a worry to you; but we are well, and aunt Mary is ill." Johnny tried not to cry, but the tears rolled down his cheeks in spite of all his efforts to restrain them. There won't be any peace and quiet and comfort in the house after Felix comes," he said; "and to stay a whole three months '- But then, if aunt Mary is sick"- 40 PROFESSOR JOZIIVNY. SPerhaps he has improved since we saw him," replied Mrs. Le Bras: "if not, your father says he shall be made to mind and behave himself. Since his father and mother will not be here, he will be obliged to obey your father and me, and we shall be decided with him." When will he come?" ' "In about two weeks." "I shall try to enjoy myself as well as I can before he comes, because I know it won't be very pleasant after he gets here." Mrs. Le Bras said nothing, because she was afraid Johnny was about right. As Johnny went up to the laboratory to put up his pipe and the other articles, he looked very sober and thoughtful: he was already planning how he could escape from Felix's racket and nonsense. When Johnny came down again, Sue said, - "You didn't explain, after all, how the rug put out the lamp last night." "Put out the light, you mean. Why, don't you see? The rug prevented the air from reaching the fire, and, as there was no more oxygen to combine with the hydrogen and car- bon, there could be no fire." i;i;cu~ THE SKY-ROOM. 41 CHAPTER IIL I. THE SKY-ROOM. JOHNNY felt so badly about the coming of Felix, and begged so hard to be allowed some place of refuge during the stay of this wild guest, that his father said he might have the large back-room in the French roof, if his mother was willing. Mrs. Le Bras said she had no objection, if Johnny did not mind hav- ing all the things about that were stored in that room, since there was no other place to put them in. Johnny said all he wanted was some- where to go when Felix got too rude, where he could be sure Felix would not follow him: he said, too, that he should like to keep the chem- icals he was using in the same place; because, if they were not out of the way, Felix would be meddling with them. "I will have a lock put on the door of the room, and give you the key," said his father; "and then if you let in any one you don't want, it will be your own fault. You can carry the 42 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. things from your laboratory into this private domicile, and whatever else you wish." "'I will carry most of my books, then," said Johnny; "for I haven't a single book that Felix will want to read." "But you must not put your mother or me to any trouble about fixing up the room," added his father; "you must be contented with the bare floor; and if you want the things which are stored there put up out of the way, you must re-arrange them yourself, and be sure they are as neatly and safely placed as they were before." "I am perfectly willing to agree to that," re- turned Johnny, looking brighter than he had before since the announcement that Felix was to spend the summer with them. Can I begin to get the room ready to-day ?" "Yes," replied his mother. "I have no ob- jection, since I am not to do any thing about it, and can trust you not to put any thing out of order in moving the articles about." Johnny went up into "the attic," as it was called, immediately, followed by Sue. There was only one finished room in the French roof: this was in front, and was occupied by Kate. The remaining space was not plastered, and 'had great beams overhead : it was called "the storeroom," and was separated from Kate's THE SAY-ROOM. 43 room by a narrow hall formed by the placing of a light board partition about four feet distant from the finished room in front. A thin plank door, without lock and key, was in the end of the partition, near the head of the stairs. There were four large windows in the rooms, one at each side, and two in front. . "It's a real pleasant room, isn't it ? said Johnny, looking about with interest for the first time; for he had never entered the room before except for the purpose of storing something there, or getting something which had been put away in some of the trunks or boxes. These trunks and boxes, some old furniture, and a large cedar chest in which his mother kept furs and other expensive articles liable to be disturbed b' moths, were scattered about rather promis- cuously, without regard to any particular order. "I'll tell you what I've a mind to do," said Johnny. I think I will put all the things that are stored here at the back part of the room, and then I'll take the old clothes-line, and draw it across in front of them, and hang some of mother's old drapery curtains on it: I don't be- lieve but that she has enough to go clear across the room; only I shall leave an opening in front of the door to get through." "Mamma's got a set of old cretonne, real pretty, too, with bright red flowers on them; 44 PROFESSOR JOH-NNY. and I know she'll let you have them," said Sue. "And she's got another set, of cheese-cloth, that she won't use again," said Johnny. "There's four more : I'll alternate them, -that will be prettiest. I guess they'll go clear across, and be a little full too. And then see what a monstrous room we shall have left all to our- selves !" 1" But you won't let me come in, will you ? I thought you wanted it all to yourself." "Oh I shall let you come in sometimes, when you don't want to romp; and perhaps I will let Felix in once in a great while, when I am sure he won't stay long: but, as I shall have a lock and key, I can keep folks out when I am read- ing or busy." "How far off you can see at these front win- dows!" said Sue. "I can see way up the river, and all those blue hills, and over hundreds and hundreds of houses, and lots of sky! " Johnny came and stood by her side, and looked out at the landscape. S"It is beautiful, isn't it?" said he. "Why, I do believe it's the very handsomest view I ever saw It is queer I never noticed before how fine it was. I wonder if father and mother know we've got such an observatory! ' "Wouldn't it be a pretty picture ? said Sue. THE SKY-ROOM. 45 I wish it was a picture instead of real; for then I could carry it down in my room, and hang it up." "Oh, no! it wouldn't be half as nice as it is now it is real. Just think how many changes we can see on all that great sweep of sky, how many clouds altering their shapes and colors every minute, and what glorious sunsets! We must come up here after supper to-night, and see the sunset. Let's surprise father and mother, Sue. If we can get the curtains, I'll have them up by that time, if you'll help me." Won't that be nice !" exclaimed Sue, dan- cing about. "And just see, Johnny here's ur- niture enough to furnish your room right off : there's that red plush chair that isn't faded very badly; and that great, comfortable old wicker rocker that we used to like so much, because it would hold both of us easy,-and all that ails' it is that it looks kind of old; and there's mam- ma's old toilet-table and a big ottoman ;--and, O Johnny there's our lounge in the corner that I've missed so much, because the new sofa isn't half so big." "Yes, that's an idea!" replied Johnny. "There is quite a lot of furniture here; and that sofa looks like an old friend, if there is a hole in the cover that you kicked through. I guess mamma can find me a piece of cretonne 4PL 46 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. 'il'l '" yl iv isiaS ^+.i/^;^ the holes. And then, don't you remember, Sue, what a lot of old pictures there are in that big trunk, which were put up here when father bought so many new pictures at that sale ? and .some of those old ones are real pretty too, especially the engravings." "And don't you remember the chromo with the winter in it, Johnny? " "Oh, yes! that winter scene was pretty good: it represented the poet Whittier when he was a little boy, going to a country school." "Oh, yes! I remember now," replied Sue; "and Mr. Whittier was in the picture, when he was a little boy, and his little girl that loved him was there with a blue apron on. Let's get 'em right out, and look 'em over, and see which you will hang up." "No," replied Johnny: "we'll go down and tell mamma our plans first, and ask her if we may have the curtains, and hang up the pic- tures." Mrs. Le Bras was very much pleased when Johnny came down looking so animated and happy: she had begun to feel as if his pleas- ure was to be spoiled for the summer by the advent upon the scene of such a thoughtless and rude boy as Felix. She assented very will- ingly to all his plans, and said he could take THE SKY-ROOM. 47 any of the discarded things in the attic to fur- nish his room, latingthat Sue was not to be allowed to touch any thing without his orders or permission. She said all the old curtains were in the lower drawer of the bureau in the attic, and Johnny could select which he pleased. As for a cover- ing for the lounge, she would give him a piece of very pretty new cretonne which had been left over of some she got for curtains to Kate's room. As it was Saturday morning, there was plenty of time for Johnny to get his room in order before the' time for the sunset exhibition. Having charged Sue, again and again, not to ask his mother to come up until all was in readiness, and to give him warning if there was any danger of her making her appearance, he went to work with a will, allowing Sue to help himr all she could, for the sake of her company, and because he saw that this kind of business pleased her greatly. By four in the afternoon, the room was finished; and a very attractive place it was. Johnny had opened all the win- dows, and thrown back the blinds, so that the great space was flooded with light, and as pleas- ant as out of doors. The breeze was so strong, however, since there was nothing to intercept 48 PROFESSOR JOHNTYY it at that height, that Johnny was obliged to cilose all but the front windows. "I know it will be cool here on the warmest day in summer," said Johnny, "because it is ever so much cooler here to-day than it is in any other part of the house./ That isn't gener-, ally the way with attics: but then, this is dif- ferent from an attic ; it is larger, and has more windows, and the roof is different." If there is a very, very warm day, you can go out at the scuttle," remarked Sue. Oh! I'll tell you what the scuttle will be good for," replied Johnny: "we can go up there evenings, and see the stars splendidly. I shall call that my observatory. We will try it this evening." The scuttle was in the little hall between the storeroom and Kate's room,, and was reached by a kind of stair-ladder: there were several large panes of glass in it, which afforded suffi- cient light for the little hall-way. S"Now we will go down and get all the books I shall need," said Johnny. Johnny's books were in one corner of Mr. Le Bras' large bookcase, which nearly filled one side of the sitting-room. When they reached the sitting-room, they found their father had returned from his office. "I'm going, to carry some of my books into THE SKY-ROOM. 49 my sky-room," said Johnny, "but I don't know what to keep them in: my table isn't large enough to hold any thing but my inkstand, pens, and pencils, and some paper for writing and drawing." Are there not some empty packing-boxes in the storeroom which we used when we moved here.? remarked his father. Yes. " "Take several of those which are of about the same size, and place them one above the other. If they are not quite firm enough, drive in a few nails. That will give you shelves for books and other things. Put some white paper on the bottom of the shelves, and a little light fancy paint in front, and on the top and sides, if you like." "I wonder I did not think of that," replied Johnny; "for I have seen a very pretty book- case which Dick Scott made out of boxes." Johnny then began to take down some books from the shelves. First he took down four volumes of Jacob Abbott's Science for the Young." "I thought you had got through with those books long ago," remarked his father. "No. I forget something in them some- times, and then I want to look it up again ; besides, I like to read parts of them over once 50 PROFESSOR JOHNNAY. in a while; and when I don't want to study, they are more interesting than my chemistries and philosophies, because there is a little story mixedin. Iwish I could get some more just such books telling of things I haven't learned about." "It is a pity there is no Mr. Abbott here now to write more books," said his father. "I'll tell you what you must do, Johnny: when you get old enough, you must write some similar books for young folks yourself, to cover the sub- jects Mr. Abbott left." "But I sha'n't be a boy to be interested in such books then." "Never mind," said his mother: there will be ever so many more Johnnys to be interested, and it is pleasanter to give than to receive, you remember." Johnny looked rather doubtful about that, but he said nothing. He took down his books upon chemistry and philosophy, which were such as are used in high schools and academies, and a number of books upon other solid subjects, also a few story-books and a dictionary. "What do you want of a dictionary in vaca- tion?" asked his mother. "When I am reading, I often come across a word which I do not understand : and then, I shall write considerably this vacation, and the THE SKY-ROOMf. 51 dictionary will help my spelling; I intend to write a good many compositions- some of which I shall use in school next year, which will save my time." "But I don't think youought to do school- work in vacation: you ought simply to enjoy yourself, or do manual labor, which will not tax your mind," said Mrs. Le Bras. But writing compositions don't tax my mind, unless I am in a hurry about something else: I shall just write the compositions in vacation for the fun of it, and then, in school-time, I can let them take the place of real wqrk." That is a good idea," said Mr. Le Bras. " little providence like that saves a good deal of the friction of working-time." "Yes," said Johnny, "and friction is apt to produce fire." His mother laughed. "You mean by that," she said, "it is likely to make folks lose their patience and temper." "Come, Sue, I guess I've got enough now," said Johnny : "if I haven't, I shall think of the others by degrees." Sue held out her apron : Johnny put as many books in it as he thought she could carry easily, and piled up the remainder, and took them in his arms, with some assistance from his father in getting them well balanced. i 2< 52 PROFESSOR OHNNY. "I think I will go up with you to see how your 'sky-room'" looks," remarked Mr. Le Bras. 1" Oh, no! don't!" said Johnny. "We're not ready to have you and mother come up yet. I'll tell you when we are ready." "You mustn't come up till after supper," added Sue, "not till sundown." "You look out, Sue," said Johnny warningly, "or you'll let it all out before you know it!" Sue looked back and laughed, as she walked off with her bulged-out apron. The boxes were speedily arranged, the bottom of the shelves covered with white paper, and the books deposited upon them. "When I get time, I will fasten and stain the boxes; but this will do at present," said Johnny, standing back to observe the effect.- "That looks quite like a bookcase, don't it ? " "It's just splendid," replied Sue. "And what shall we do now ?" "We will arrange the lounge and table and chairs, here near the front windows, in a space about a ges large as our sitting-room : we can have that for the in-doors, and then we can make be- lieve that all outside of that square is out of doors, and have it to exercise in. I think I will call that the promenade." SThen, let's get some chalk, and mark off THE SKY-ROOkM. 53 the room, so that we can tell exactly where the room ends, and the promenade begins. "Very well," replied Johnny, laughing: that wouldn't be a bad plan. If you will run down and get one of my crayons, I will mark it off now. You can get the yardstick too. While you are gone, I will be moving the furniture into the front part of the room'." The bookcase stood between the two front windows. Johnny moved the table up near the bookcase, and placed the sofa a little to the left of the left-hand window, with one end toward the front wall of the room. He then arranged the chairs and ottoman. When Sue came back, she said a lounge ought to be against the wall, instead of extend- ing out into the room. "It is against the wall," replied Johnny : it is against the crayon-wall we are to make for this side of our room. "Why, that's so!" replied Sue, half laugh- ingly and half wonderingly. "I forgot that three of the walls of the room were to be crayon-marks." The room was soon chalked off very dis- tinctly. That seems a good deal more like a room and a promenade than it did, don't it?" said Johnny. K'. K' 54 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. "Yes," replied Sue: "I think I like walls that you can see right through, very well. I wish some of the walls down-stairs were like that, so we could see out into the back-yard." Let us go down in the yard now, and stay till supper-time," said Johnny: "we have been working hard all the afternoon, and I think I will romp.with you now a while, if you want to; since you have been so good-natured about help- ing me, and keeping me company, in getting the room ready." "Come, then let's go right off! exclaimed Sue, with delight. "I'll be down in the yard before you !" and she ran off as fast as she could go, while Johnny followed more leisurely, medi- tating upon the pleasant respites he could take from Felix's society in his beautiful and com- modious sky-room. There chanced to be an unusually beautiful sunset that evening; and, when it was in its glory, Johnny invited his father and mother to come up and see the new apartment. "'There's going to be a free show for you, said Sue. "Yes," said Johnny; "and it didn't cost any thing to get it up, either." "No," added Sue: "it got itself up, and it'll do it almost every day this summer, without even being asked." THE SKFY-ROOMII. 5 5 "0 Sue !" whispered Johnny in her ear, "you'll let it out before we get up there, if you're not more careful." When they entered the transformed attic, a beautiful scene was presented. The four large dormer windows were all open, and a flood of soft sunset-light filled the apartment. But best of all was the beautiful sky on all sides; for the room faced the west, anthe wet, sky all around was full of variously colored clouds, of various shades and degrees of brightness, from brilliant red and gold to delicate shades of pearl, yel- low, and violet, with the blue sky for a back- ground. "Well! this is glorious!" exclaimed Mr. Le Bras. "I did not know we had such a room in i the house! Why! it is like discovering a gold- mine " S"Don't you remember," replied Mrs. Le Bras,; "that I said, when we first came here, and were putting away some things in the attic, that there was a beautiful view up here, and it was a great pity it could not be down-stairs ?" I don't remember it," replied Mr. Le Bras. " I think, whenever I have been here, the blinds have been closed; and as I have always been to get something, or put something away, I never have thought of looking out of the windows." "I have opened one of the blinds sometimes," /P 56 PROFESSOR JOHAANNY. replied Mrs. Le Bras, sitting down in the rock- ing-chair by one of the front windows, "and noticed how far the prospect extended; but I have never been here before at sunset-time. How very, very beautiful! " .Why, yes this is perfect fairyland!" said Mr. L Bras, sitting down by the other front window, in the arm-chair, and looking out at the brilliant scene produced by the green land- scape, with its blue river and purple hills and flaming sky. , Mr. and Mrs. Le Bras, upon looking around the interior, praised Johnny and his assistant very much for the neat and tasteful arrange- ment of the curtains,, furniture, etc., and were greatly amused at the chalk-line dividing the room from the promenade. They remained until the stars began to come out, declaring it was too pleasant a place to leave, as long as any of the scenery was visible.- "You see, this house is on a hill, and above the houses about here, which are only two stories," said Mr. Le Bras, "and also above the trees in the park. You are a lucky boy, Johnny, to own a room like this for the sum- mer, which you can have all to yourself: so I think we will say it is a pretty good offset for all the annoyance you are likely to experience from Felix." IIA THE SKY-ROOM. 57 "And I suppose you will let me in here once in a while, if I get too tired of Felix's non- sense ? remarked Mrs. Le Bras. Oh, yes I will let any one in except Felix himself ; and I will let him in for a little while, sometimes, if he will promise not to touch any of my things, or race about." You had better not give him much encour- agement to come here," said Mr. Le Bras, "or he may tease you too often to let him in. I would not have him know any thing about the room, until he finds it out in some way himself." "Yes, that will be the best plan," added Mrs. Le Bras : "it will save considerable questioning and wonderment, to say the least." 2I 58 PROF';" "ESSeOR JOH.NYW,VY. CHAPTER IV. THE UNWELCOME GUEST. ' F ELIX was the son of Mr. Le Bras' brother, who was a wholesale merchant in New York, and very rich. It was doubtful if Felix had ever been denied any thing which he wished ; that is, if it could be bought. Among the rest of his possessions were a pony, a bi- cycle, and a. boat; for Mr. Louis Le Bras had : a summer residence on the shore. Felix arrived with his father Wednesday afternoon. They drove up in a carriage, with quite a large trunk behind, which contained Felix's summer outfit. A bicycle also was strapped on over the trunk; and, when the visitors alighted, a large Newfoundland dog bounded out of the carriage. Felix was a handsome boy, with large -brown eyes, and dark, curling hair. The dog was very black and glossy. "So we have a third visitor ?" said Mr. Frank CHHPTR IS THE UtNWELCOMr GUEST. 59 Le Bras, after he and Mrs. Le Bras and the children had shaken hands with his brother and Felix. S;Oh, yes replied Mr. Louis Le Bras: "Felix will not go anywhere without Clyde." Johnny of Felix. j "About two weeks. Isn't he a fine old fel- low ? He cost thirty dollars." "Do you like riding a bicycle pretty well ? ' asked Joh ny, as the hackman took that article down. "Well, I guess so! I don't walk hardly at all now, when I get where there are dirt-roads. You won't see much of me till I've explored all the country round here." SDidn't you want to go to Europe ?inquired Sue. No, not with mother, 'cause she's so awful nervous, and scares at every thing; and then, father gave me a new gold watch for staying at home, -though I don't care much about it, now I've got it." Felix took out the watch carelessly, and showed it to Johnny and Sue. "That's ever so nice," said Sue. "Aren't you a lucky boy, Felix ? " "I don't know," replied Felix : "all I know is, I mean to have a good time wherever I am. 1+ VI 6o PROFESSOR JOH2NNY. Father, I guess I'll try this road on my bicycle | before i go in." "No," replied his father: "come in and visit a while first." S"No," returned Felix, vaulting upon the bi- cycle: "I'm just going round the park square. That's just a mile, isn't it, Johnny ? "Yes," replied Johnny : "it's a quarter of a mile on each side." "But supper is nearly ready," objected Mrs. Le Bras. "Never mind: you needn't wait for me; I'll have my supper when I come back," returned 'Felix, shooting off up the road, followed by Clyde. Felix's father was talking quite busily with his brother, without payingg any further atten- tion to Felix. But just as the young man was vanishing around the corner, he turned, and ob- served him. "Why! I thought I told that boy he couldn't go," he said.. "Yes, you did," replied Mrs. Le Bras. "There's no keeping track of him," said his father, with an air of resignation. "Well, I suppose boys must be boys I shouldn't won- der if we used to bother our folks a good deal when we were boys, Frank." "If we did, we got bothered in turn by our THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 6 1 father and mother, if I recollect rightly," replied Mr. Le Bras. "I did not venture to disobey my father very often, and I had reason to re- member it when I did. I had an idea your experience was about the same." "Parents were more strict in those days; I don't know but I think they were too strict; I am certain I used to think so when I was a boy." "I doubt if it would have been any better for us if our parents had been more indulgent," returned Mr. Le Bras, "and I am certain that it would have been very much worse for them. SHaving unruly children about is rather a doubt- ful blessing. By the way, Louis, you remember my stipulation, that, if Felix stays here, I shall insist upon strict obedience? I cannot possi- bly promise care and safe-keeping without that proviso. I suppose you have given him to un- derstand what I expect ? " Oh, yes he understands, and that is all right. I hope you can teach him to mind. It will be a great favor to us if you will: his mother is in too poor health, and too fond of. him, to cross him much ; and I am not at home a great deal. To tell the truth, I would give any one a thousand dollars to teach that boy to behave himself: in fact, I would give more." Mr. Frank Le Bras laughed at this remark,' 62 PROFESSOR JOHNNY as if it were a very good joke. "I don't know of any way of teaching a boy to do well right along, Louis, without the proper kind of gov- ernment continues right along until the boy is grown up, unless, indeed, the boy were so re- markable that he might be taught to govern himself by his own reason and conscience; and such boys are very rare: in fact, I don't know as I ever saw such a boy. But I shall do the best I can by Felix, not only for his sake and yours, but for my own comfort and that of my household. We shall not attempt to govern him while you are here, however." "I shall be off on the eight o'clock train ; so. your authority will begin very soon. I can't tell you all how thankful I am that you have agreed to take charge of the young rogue. Of course we love him dearly, but even his mother is beginning to see that he is getting to be too much for us: I fancy her nervous .disease is greatly aggravated by her worry over Felix." They were sitting in the house by this time, and now Kate rang the supper-bell. Felix did not appear during supper-time, nor until past seven o'clock : then he came in with a very red face, accompanied by Clyde, who was panting, with his tongue out of his mouth. "Where have you been? inquired his father. Oh I met a boy over by the park, and we TIME UNWELCOME GUEST. 63 went racing. We went up to the trotting-park, and tried the course, I guess I've got up an appetite for supper." "You will find something on the table," said his aunt ;"but, of course, you won't expect to have any thing hot, an hour after supper- time." "I do at home," replied Felix, looking slight- ly disconcerted. "But you must remember you are not at home," replied his father: "there is but one servant here, and you make an extra person in the family, at the best." Felix sat down at-the table, appearing rather out of sorts. Kate did not look very pleasant either, as she waited upon him : ordinarily, she would have had the table cleared and all the dishes washed before that time. "Are we to have this kind of doings all the' time ?" she asked of Mrs. Le Bras, as the latter came into the kitchen of an errand. ,"No, indeed!" replied Mrs. Le Bras : "this is the very last time, Katie ; after this, if Felix is not here at meal-time, the table will be cleared, and nothing will be brought out for him but bread and butter. We shall give him to understand how it will be, and then it will be his own fault if he gets served that way." When Mr. Louis Le Bras took his leave, 64 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. he gave much good advice to Felix, and charged him to make as little trouble as possible. "I sha'n't be any trouble," replied Felix: "I sha'n't be in the house but precious little, any- way. Clyde and I won't see much of the inside of the house till we've scoured all the region round, to begin with." But if you are scouring the country, how can your aunt and uncle take care of you?" replied his father. "You may get into all sorts of scrapes and dangers." "I guess I'm old enough to take care of my- self! I ain't a baby," replied Felix indignantly. As the hack had just driven up to the door, and there was no time to spare, Mr. Le Bras shook hands all around, kissed Mrs. Le Bras and the children, said he wished he was a Ger- man so that he could kiss his brother too, as the gentlemen kissed each other in Germany, added at the last, "Now, you make that boy mind, at all costs," sprang into the carriage, told the driver to hurry, and rode off, while Felix shouted after him, - "Don't you forget, father, that I can take care of myself !" Johnny and Sue then took Felix up to see his room, for he had not visited them since they had moved into their new house. It was a very pretty room, fourteen feet square, in the THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 6 L over the kitchen, and had a charming view of the yard and the park beyond. It was Sue's room, but she was to sleep on a cot-bed in her mother's room while Felix staid; and she rather liked the change, because her mother's room looked out on the street, where she could see the passers-by. Johnny's room was over the dining-room, and so next to Felix's, but only opened into the hall. The spare chamber was over the sitting-room. "This will pass," said Felix, when Johnny and Sue called his attention to the various good points about the room. "It is about half as large as my room at home ; but I dn't care for that, nor that thet re isn't any bath-room or dressing-room out of it, 'cause I sha'n't be in my room but precious little, and I mean to go down to the river and bathe every day, swim, I mean. I can swim like a fish, since we've had our cottage down by the shore: I learned .last season. By the way, father says we can all go down to the cottage if we want to: it's furnishedyou know, and empty." Oh, I wish we could !" said Sue. "I'll go and ask mamma if we are going." Sue ran off, while Felix opened his trunk and showed Johnny his new summer clothes, which were very fine; also his jointed fishing-rod and various other boyish possessions, which were A~:s 66 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. recent acquisitions of which he had not yet tired, since they were all fresh from the stores, most of them being presents his mother had given him to reconcile him for being deprived of a voyage to Europe. Presently Sue came back, saying it was not decided about the offer of the cottage being accepted : it depended upon whether her father could get away for a long vacation, for her mother said she should not. go unless he was able to go too. "But I shouldn't wonder if we did go," added Sue hopefully; "for mamma looked as though she rather thought father would be able to get away, and she aid he could tell better in a few weeks." "Now, what am I to do all this evening ?" said Felix. "What's going on in this place, Johnny ?" Not very much, that I know of," replied Johnny; "and as I make up all my amusements, or almost all of them, I shouldn't know as well what is going on as Harrison Brown would." "Who is Harrison Brown?" inquired Felix with interest. "He's a boy who lives on State Street, op- posite the north side of the park," replied SJohnny. "Has he got a bicycle ? and does he wear a .. ., . '" . '' :-. ''.* :. ;' -w y ** THE UNWELCOME GUEST 67 blue suit with a little plaid in it ? inquired Felix. "Yes," said Sue: "that's his new suit, and I think it's real pretty." Why, he's the boy that I raced with," con- tinued Felix: "I guess I'll go right over and see him, and Isk him what is going on. Can't you come along, Johnny ?" I'll ask mother," replied Johnny doubtfully. "Can't I go too ? asked Sue. "You?" replied Felix. "What does a girl want to go round with boys for? and what do boys want girls going around with them for ? "But I go 'most everywhere with Johnny," replied Sue, looking rather hurt. '" But Johnny is different from other boys," said Felix. As Johnny had gone to ask his mother about going with Felix, he did not hear this remark. "But Belle Miner goes with her brother Alec, and Terry Scott goes with her brother Dick, and we all go together; and ever so many boys and girls I know of, that are not brothers and sisters, play together, and have real good times. I like to play with boys very much, when they are not too rough and hateful.; and I can run as fast, and play as well, as any of them, at most things." Felix laughed loud and long. 68 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. ride a bicycle." I could ride a tricycle, "said Sue, "if I had one; and if I had one to ride, I could go fish- ing." Johnny came back, saying his mother would like to see Felix in the sitting-room. So they all went down to hear what she had to say. We are not in the habit of allowing our children to go out in the evening, unless by especial invitation, or with us, or by our advice or consent : and of course, Felix, since we are Ito do by you just as we do by our own children, S we cannot allow you any more liberty than they have; it would not be right." But I don't see what harm there could be in my just going a little way, to ask a boy a question." We shall not expect you to see the reasons for all our rules, any more than we expect Johnny and Sue to see them, and we cannot take time and pains to explain them to you ; for very likely you would not understand them any better then, since many of them can only .be understood by grown persons," replied Mrs. Le Bras mildly, continuing her sewing, and not seeming to pay very much attention to Felix, who was looking decidedly cross. "I wish I hadn't agreed to come here," he THE UAWELCOMVE GUEST. 69 said: :I don't think much of such strict rules. w My father and mother are not so notional." Mrs. Le Bras made no reply: she seemed to be very much absorbed in her sewing. Felix got into a rocking-chair on his knees, and began rocking it violently back and forth. Johnny wished he could get up to his sky-room. Sue spread a newspaper on the floor, and, sitting down before it, began to cut a fine lady out of a colored fashion-plate, for a doll. Johnny took one of his books down, and turned over the pages mechanically; it was not the book he wanted, as that was in the sky-room; and he was afraid, too, that it would not be polite to read while Felix was unoccupied. But if Felix had not been there, he would have sat down with a book, and been happy, or amused him- self in some. other way. "This is awful stupid! said Felix. "Here's an interesting story: don't you want to read it?" suggested Johnny. "It's about a family of children who lived up in Iceland." No! I hate books !" replied Felix: "they're awful stupid things. I never read if I can help it. I have more than all the reading I want at school; and I don't go to school when I don't want to, either." Mrs. Le Bras smiled to herself. 70 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. "How often do you go to school, Felix?" she inquired. Two or three times a week. I go when I can't think of any thing else to do." Then, as you can't think of any thing else to do this evening, why not read a little while? that will help to pass away the time." "No! I don't want to read! what do I care about folks in Iceland ? It's summer now, and I want to know what folks are doing in sum- mer." I've got a book that tells how some boys had a garden in summer, and sold vegetables enough to buy all the sleds and skates and caps and mittens they needed for the next winter," said Johnny. "Oh, ho! I can have all such things without having a garden." "But they couldn't, and it's real interesting to read how they managed their little farm." "Farm? I thought you said it was a garden." "It was such a large garden that they called it their farm : it was an acre of ground." "How much is an acre ?" "You know how many acres there are in the park ? " How should'I know ?" You know it is a quarter of a mile on each side, don't you ?" A :: THE UNWELCOAE GUEST. 71 "What of that ?" "That makes a quarter of a mile square, don't it ? : I don't know." "And it makes a quarter of a square mile." "Well, what of that ? " "You know how many acres there are in a square mile, don't you ? " "Of course I don't Why should I ?" "Haven't you learned square measure at school? " "Oh! I went past that long ago. I'm over in percentage." "Then, you know that six hundred and forty acres make a square mile." : No, I don't remember any thing about it I don't expect to remember a thing after I've been pastitit a little while, and I never do: so I don't see what's the use of learning books at all." "-And if there e are six hundred and forty acres in one square mile," continued Johnny, '"in a quarter of a square mile there would be one- fourth of that, which is one hundred and sixty acres." "Why, if there are that many acres in the park, one acre wouldn't be any thing," replied Felix. "It isn't a large park at all." Johnny laughed as he replied, "Isn't our yard of pretty good size ?" 72 PROFESSOR JOHNNK "Yes." "Well, our yard hasn't a quarter of an acre in it, I am sure. Let's measure it to-morrow, and see just what part of an acre there is in it." How can you tell ? replied Felix. Why, don't you know ?" replied Johnny. "No. How did you learn how ?" "Why, by studying square measure at school." "I guess your schools are different from ours, then: I didn't learn any thing but the table, and how to do a few sums; and just as soon as I had learned that, I forgot all about it I say, I can't stand this! I'll go and call Clyde in, and have a good time with him." Clyde had been in so many times, putting his muddy paws upon the furniture and her delicate dress, that Mrs. Le Bras was dismayed at this announcement. "I think you will enjoy yourself better with Clyde out on the platform," she suggested. Come, Johnny, let's go out, then," said Fe- lix. I'll show you some of Clyde's tricks. He's a trained dog." Can't I go ?" said Sue. Yes, come along if you want to; but I ain't used to having girls tagging me around." At first Sue was a little provoked, and thought she would not go; but she was so fond THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 73 of romping, that she soon followed the boys, saying to her mother, - "Johnny will have to romp now, whether he wants to or not." "Poor Johnny !" sighed Mrs. Le Bras. Presently Mr. Le Bras came in ; and his wife told him how restless and out of humor Felix had been, and said she could not imagine what they were to do with him, especially evening if they tried to be at all particular where was, and what company he kept. "We must manage it somehow," replied Mr. Le Bras thoughtfully; "and I cannot have you and Johnny fretted either." "I don't know but I had better go t tthe cot- tage, whether you can go or not," continued Mrs. Le Bras; "for then he and Clyde will wear out and soil Louis' furniture instead of ours. Clyde has nearly ruined my dress already, by jumping up upon me in his good-natured way; and I have been around trying to get stains off of the upholstering of the chairs. As for Sue, I cannot pretend to dress her up at all nicely while the dog is around; and I know it frets Johnny very much to have the mud- stains on his new drab suit. If we were at the seaside, the children could dress in com- mon clothes, and there would be more harm- less outdoor amusements." 74 PROFESSOR JOHNY "It will never do for you to take the whole charge of that boy : it would make you ill. He must be under the eye of a man ; I will see to him : and as for Clyde, I will soon settle him. I hope to be able to leave my business a while by the first of August, and then we will go to the cottage: by coming back for a few days at a time, now and then, I think I can stay some weeks; and whenever I come back, I shall bring Felix with me, unless he has greatly improved." Just then Johnny came in, and asked his father if he would let him take his large tape- . measure. "What do you want it for?" replied Mr. Le Bras. "I want to show Felix how to find out what part of an acre there is in our yard." Hasn't he learned enough arithmetic to do that himself ?" "No, sir: he's been over as far as I have, but he says he don't know any thing about square measure." "I'll warrant!" replied Mr. Le Bras, taking the measure from one of the drawers under the library-shelves, and handing it to Johnny. When Johnny reached the garden again, he found Felix on the roof of the shed. "Come down, and help me measure, Felix," he said. THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 75 "No," replied Felix: "I'll sit up here, and see you do it.'" "Oh that's the kind of a surveyor you'll be," replied Johnny; "you'll survey from a distance: but this is ever so much more interesting Come, Sue, you hold the measure for me, and I'll measure the width of the yard first. Stand back there, and keep the measure close to the fence; and when I say Come,'; bring it to me." As it was getting pretty dark, Felix could not see much except Johnny's and Sue's forms as they moved about. Having measured the width of the yard, Johnny measured the length. "It is three times as long as it is broad," he announced. "I could have told that without measuring, returned Felix scornfully. "Arithmetic isn't of any use at all." "You had better come down before it gets any darker," said Johnny, or you may fall." "Fall! Oh, ho! I guess not! I ain't a baby." "I'm going in now, to reckon this out," said Johnny. Seventy-five feet wide, and two hun- dred and twenty-five feet long, or twenty-five yards wide, and seventy-five yards long. Itwill be easiest to find the square'yards." "How do you find the square yards," de- manded Felix. "Oh! I know that," remarked Sue; "just 76 PROLFESSOR JOHNNY. multiply the yards long by. the yards wide: don't you, Prof.? "Of course," replied Johnny. "'Of course !' mimicked Felix. "Well, I guess I'll come down now, since the prospect isn't as good as it might be." Johnny went in to get a pencil and a piece of paper: Felix began to come down from the roof by swinging himself off, and letting his feet rest upon the slender railing that passed along the outer edge of the platform. Just as he was putting his feet down, Clyde jumped upon him; and in trying to extricate himself from the dog, and touch the railing at the same time, he missed the railing in the darkness, and fell down, giving an impatient exclamation of pain as he reached the ground. Sue was frightened, and ran in with the an- nouncement that Felix had fallen off of the roof. Mr. Le Bras went out immediately, followed by Johnny and Mrs. Le Bras. Felix had arisen, but was limping up the steps, and half crying with pain. "Oh, dear !" said he, "I've sprained my ankle awfully; so I'm about sure I can't ride my bicycle for a week; and then I'd like to know what I'm going to do, staying around in the house all the time !" Johnny's heart sank: he had counted on Felix's being off on his bicycle a good part of THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 77 the next day, and what should he do if he were to be at home all the time expecting him to keep himcompany. Would he be able to enjoy his beautiful sky-room after all ? "Perhaps it is not as bad as you imagine, Felix," said his aunt encouragingly, while his uncle helped him up the steps and into the house; but the boy limped badly, and there was an expression of genuine pain upon his face. Mr. Le Bras seated him in an easy-chair, and placed another chair for him to rest his foot upon, while Mrs. Le Bras got the arnica to bathe the ankle. After the ankle had been bathed and bandaged, and the slippers which Sue had found in Felix's trunk substituted in place of shoes, to accommodate the swollen foot, Felix began to exclaim desolately at his forlorn condition. "I can't even do any thing to amuse myself this evening," he said; "and it's no use to go to bed, because my foot pains me so that I couldn't sleep, even if it were not early in the evening." "Sit up hhe table," replied Johnny, "and let's figure out what part of an acre there is in the yard. Here's an extra pencil and sheet of paper. It will be real fun : let's see who gets it right first." "It won't be any fun at all," replied Felix; "just as if there is any fun in figuring! youI 78 PROF'SSOR JOHzVNY. might as well say there is fun in going to school ; jl and studying old dry books." Johnny made no reply. He had begun. to cipher. "What are you going to do first ?" asked .Felix languidly. "Why, multiply the length by the breadth in yards, to get the square yards in the garden." What next ? " "Why, then reduce an acre to square yards, so as to know how many square yards there are in an acre." "I can do that," said Felix, looking slightly interested ; "but I never could see what use there was in it, and I don't see now." "Come and do it, then," said Johnny coax- ingly. Felix hopped to the table slowly, on one foot, and sat down in the chair Sue placed for him ; while Johnny brought the other chair for his foot. ">How many square yards were there ?" said Felix, taking the paper and pencil, and resting the paper on a book he took from the table. "You do it all yourself," replied Johnny; "seventy yards long, you know, and twenty- five yards wide." Presently Johnny stopped figuring. Have you got through? asked Felix. THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 79 "No: I'm waiting for you to catch up." i,875 square yards," said Felix. "Yes; and now reduce an acre to square yards." Afterfiguring a few minutes, Felix announced 4,840 square yards in an acre. "What do you do next ? he said. ." One yard, then, would be what part of an acre ? asked Johnny. After a moment's hesitation, Felix said, io of anf acre." Then, 1,875 square yards would be how many 4,840ths of. an acre ?" . "Why," replied Felix, after a little further consideratonn, "I 8J of an acre." "Now let's reduce that fraction as low as we can, by dividing both terms by five, and what does it give us ?" ," -T of an acre." Now, is that about a fourth of an acre, or about a third of an acre?" ? Felix looked at the figures a moment, and then said, It's a good deal more than a quar- ter of an acre, and-it's more than a third of an acre too." "Yes, it's a little more than a third of an acre: there's more ground in our house-lot than I thought there was. You know now about how large those boys' farm was, nearly three x -? So PROFESSQR JOHNNY. times as large as our yard. Now let's see ex- actly how many roods and rods and yards and feet and inches there are." How do you do that ?" asked Felix, looking very blank. "Why, reduce your 1,875 square yards in the garden, to higher denominations." Oh, yes replied Felix, brightening: I've done those sums lots of times, and those de- nominate fractions like | ; but I never could see any sense to it before. Let's see, what do you divide by first ? Oh I remember, 30i." Felix figured away bravely; but when he gave his result, it differed considerably from John- ny's. After some expressions of impatience, he looked it over, and, with some assistance from Johnny, found his mistake; their answers then agreed; and he read the result aloud, with something of an air of pride in his achieve- ment, - rood, 21 square rods, 29 square yards, 6 square feet, io8 square inches. And that's the first time I ever saw any sense in square meas- ure, and all those things. I thought arith- metic was just to keep boys busy in school, and I could always find enough to do without it. I tell you, I've played more pranks -on the teachers and I didn't get found out very o v ften neither ; and when I did, they didn't dare pun- THE UNWELCOME GUEST. 8I ish me, for fear my folks would make a fuss and they would too." "It is eight o'clock now ; and I always read to our children for an hour or so before they go to bed," said Mrs. Le Bras, "or have them read aloud to me." Let us all take turns to-night," said Johnny. "You or father begin." "Very well," said Mrs. Le Bras, taking a book from one of the library-shelves. "We are to begin our new book to-night, which is fortu- nate on Felix's account." "It'll, be awful stupid, I know," said Felix: "all books are. I wish books had never been invented, and then a fellow would not have to go to school at all." "You begin, Frank," said Mrs. Le Bras. Mr. Le Bras put down his paper, and began to read in the book. It was an account of a pedestrian excursion made by two boys in the Alps: they were German boys, and this was the way they spent their summer vacation. Felix did not intend to listen to the reading: he had begun to draw comic pictures on his sheet of paper; he was trying to represent him- self and Clyde, as he was falling from the roof ; his attempt, however, was not very artistic. But soon he became very much interested in the story, and sat quite still, listening. Mr. Le 82 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. Bras, after reading about fifteen minutes, passed the book to Mrs. Le Bras. She read about the same length of time, and then passed the book to Felix. Felix said at first that he did not like to read aloud, and would have passed the book to Johnny. But his uncle said, No, Felix, I want to hear you read ;" and Felix, who stood rather . in awe of his uncle Frank, did not like to dis- obey him. He made so many mistakes, and mixed his words up so badly by reading too fast, that Sue was about to say she could not understand his reading, when her mother shook her head at her. When Johnny's turn came, he read remark- ably well, so much so, that Felix felt quite ashamed of his own reading, which he knew was not good, although he did not know exactly what was the matter with it, except that he could not pronounce all the words. Sue read exceedingly well for a little girl, -very much better than Felix. "It is nine o'clock now," said Mrs. Le Bras at length, "and we must put the book aside until to-morrow night." Oh, no exclaimed Felix : "we are at the most interesting part now." But Mrs. Le Bras explained that they never read more than an hour in this way; and, as she said this, she replaced the book on the shelf, THE UNWELCOME GUEST 83 remarking that it was time for the children to go to bed. "I never go to bed till I get ready," replied Felix, "and generally I sit up until ten." "What time do you rise in the morning?" inquired his uncle. "Most any time, -about eight generally." "We breakfast at half-past seven," replied his aunt : so you see you will need to go to bed earlier than you do at home." Mrs. Le Bras then bathed Felix's ankle again with the arnica, and Mr. Le Bras said he would help him up to his room. So ended the first day of Felix's visit. The next morning Felix's ankle was so badly swollen that it was evident bicycle-riding was out of the question for the present. "I wish now," said he, "that I had brought my pony and dog-cart; but I was tired of them at home." Where are they?" asked Johnny. "They're at our summer place, with the other horses and carriages. Oliver has gone down there to take care of the horses and things while father is gone." "If we go to the cottage, can I ride in your dog-cart ?" asked Sue. "Yes, if you want to; it's just fit for girls : Sbut give me a bicycle or a boat. We've got a 84 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. sail-boat; but father won't trust me without' Oliver goes, and Oliver hates to go sailing with boys. I've got a row-boat of my own." After breakfast, it was discovered that Clyde was missing. He had been put in the summer kitchen for the night, and the door had been left open. The whole household called him, and searched for him, except Mr. Le Bras; but nothing could be heard or seen of him. A sudden suspicion flashed upon the mind of Mrs. Le Bras; and she said, in a low tone, to her husband, "Do you know where Clyde is?" "The fewer questions you ask me, the bet- ter," he replied; and she said no more. If he is not found by to-night," said Felix, "I shall have an advertisement put in the paper." "That would be of no use," replied Mrs. Le Bras ; "since- his name, you say, was on his col- lar, with the words, 'Owned by F. Le Bras.' As your uncle is the only man by the name of Le Bras in town, and F. is his first initial, any one who found him accidentally would bring him here." "While, if he was taken intentionally from the shed during the night, as I have no doubt he was, the person, who took him does not mean to return him," added Mr. Le Bras. "Then, I must have another dog," replied Felix. THE UNWELCOME GUEST 85 "Very well," said his uncle: "if you do not find Clyde by the time we go to the seaside, you shall have another; but I think, while you are in town, you can get on very well without a dog, provided Clyde does not find his way back." "He would have woke us all up if the thief had not muzzled him," said Felix. I presume he was muzzled," replied Mr. Le Bras. "This is a bad neighborhood for dogs; I have no idea that you could keep a dog safe here a week; there is a great prejudice in this neighborhood against dogs." Mr. Le Bras then turned the conversation by saying to his wife, You remember Pierre was to stay here while his folks are away ? " "Yes," replied Mrs. Le Bras: "I am quite willing he should come at any time; he makes scarcely any trouble at all." "Trouble!" exclaimed Sue: "I think he makes a great deal of pleasure." "So do I," said Johnny. "When is he com- ing ?" Week after next, I believe," replied Mr. Le Bras, taking his hat, and going toward the door.. "His father and mother have decided to spend the rest of the summer at the White Moun- tains, on account of his father's health: he is suffering seriously from malaria." 86 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. The next thing was, what was to be done with Felix that day, since he was contented with nothing but lively outdoor amusements. Johnny was too polite and kind-hearted to leave him to his own slender devices, while he was in such a helpless condition; but he thought sadly of the quiet and beauty of the sky-room, which he had not been able to visit since Felix arrived. CHAPTER V. COMPROMISES. S OW will you amuse yourself to-day, Fe- S-Ilix ?" asked Johnny, as they walked aimlessly into the sitting-room. Johnny was thinking to himself, "I wish school was not out, and then there would not be so much time in which I should have to think of being polite to' Felix, instead of going about the things I like to do myself, and which he don't care any thing at all about." "Oh! I don't know, I'm sure," replied Felix, yawning : can't yu think up something ? I know it's going tb be as stupid as can be. I wish I had insisted on going to Europe." "I know what I would do, if I was only tall enough," said Sue: "I'd try to ride Felix's bi- cycle myself. I think it must be great fun. This made Felix laugh. "It would be good as a play to see 'you try," he said; "I just wish you could; it would give us some fun to see you wobble about on it, and scream every time you thought it was going to fall over." 88 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. "Why don't you have Johnny try ?' sug- gested Sue; "it would be pretty near as -much fun; only Johnny wouldn't scream, if he di all over; he never screams at any thing." "That's an idea," said Felix. "Yes, Johnny, you try the bicycle: it's great fun to see a beginner." Now, the truth was, Johnny had for some time been wishing hi had a bicycle, although he had not as much as hinted this desire to his father or mother; since he belonged to a so- ciety of boys and girls who called themselves "Independents," because they had pledged themselves not to spend any money for amuse- ment, etc., which they had not earned them- selves. Johnny wore the badge of the society, and had taken great pleasure in earning the not very large amount of money he needed for his chemicals and other trifling expenses, by carry- ing papers, and doing various other little odd jobs which came in his way. Indeed, he had got to be the great errand-boy of the neighbor- hood, because it had come to be understood that he was willing to make himself useful for a very reasonable remuneration. His father and mother had not discouraged this endeavor, because Johnny was inclined to read and study too much, and any thing which would divert his mind out of doors in healthful exercise was COMPROMISES. 89 beneficial to him. But as fr earning enough to buy a bicycle, of course that was beyond Johnny's present abilities as an Independent. "Would you be willing that I should try it ? replied Johnny. "Why, of course! You may hurt yourself, but you can't hurt the bicycle; and if you did, I could have it mended or get another before my ankle gets well." "You must ask mother, Johnny," said Sue, who began to look rather sober over the possi- bility of Johnny's getting hurt. Mrs. Le Bras was just entering the room. "May I try Felix's bicycle, mother ? asked Johnny, with a wistful look. "Why, yes," she said, "if you can try it in a safe way: you will have to have some one hold it for you." "I'll hold it, ma'am," said Kate, who was clearing off the table in the dining-room: '"I'm very strong in my arms." "The platform will be a grand good place to mount," said Felix. "You can step up on the railing, and get right on : you can't get on as I do, very well, until you get used to it." Come right out now, before I wash my dishes," said Kate. "But you must promise, Johnny, that if I think there is any danger, and ask you to get 90 PROFESSOR JOHNNY. down, you will obey me at once," said Mrs. Le Bras: "I am almost sorry I said you could try, before your father came home." They all went out on the platform; and Johnny brought the bicycle out of the shed, and leaned it up against the railing of the platform, near the steps on which Kate was standing. Kate came out, and held the wheel with a firm grip, while Johnny stepped on the railing, and got upon the seat. "Now, Katie," said Johnny, "just help me wheel it out, where I can balance it." Kate cautiously pulled the machine away from the platform; while Johnny placed his feet firmly on the pedals, and turned the wheel slowly at first, while Kate was holding it. "Let go now, Katie," he said. "Shall I?" asked Kate doubtfully, looking at Mrs. Le Bras. "No, no !" cried Sue : "he'll fall if you do, I know he will! " I am afraid so too," said Mrs. Le Bras. "We don't want two boys with sprained ankles, Johnny." "But I think I can keep my balance," re- plied Johnny; "and of course I can't learn to ride while Katie is holding the wheel still." "Oh, let go of it! said Felix. "I don't be- lieve he would fall; anyway, he can jump off: COMPROMISES. 91i he'll only waver around a little, but he's got to do that before he learns." Move it over gently, Katie," said Mrs. Le Bras. Kate tried to do this; but in moving her hands to turn the wheel, Johnny, who was working the pedals, eluded her, and sailed off ;into the garden. After he had gone a little way, the bicycle ywavered to the left. Sue shrieked ; Kate rushed forward with out- .stretched arms; and Mrs. Le Bras called out, " Jump off, Johnny!" But Johnny quickly re- covered his balance, and went bravely on down the garden-walk. "I knew he wasn't going to fall off," said Felix. He's getting on all right." Johnny experienced a slight difficulty in turning around the walk at the foot of the garden, but performed that feat without falling, and arrived safely at the platform amid hearty congratulations, and loud clapping of hands. "I knew that boy could do any thing he un- dertook," said Kate admiringly; for she was veriy fond of Johnny. "All that is necessary," said Johnny, "is to preserve the centre of gravity." Johnny then took a more extensive tour, going around the house, and making another circuit of the yard. -v :4 ! 92 PROFESS OR Hvvy. "I guess I can try the street now," he said: "I might as well get really used to it while I am about it. I don't go very straight yet : but there are ever so many beginners who go on the street; I see them almost every day." "Yes," replied Sue: "you go better than Walter Cross now, and he's been trying ever so long." So they all went out to the front-door, to see how the novice would succeed there. The se- quel was, that Johnny rode out of sight, and left them gazing into vacancy. "If that boy don't beat all!" said Kate. "Law, ma'am, he'll be on the race-course before we know it." That is a good joke !" said Mrs. Le Bras, laughing: "our professor on the race-course! Aren't you afraid you have lost your bicycle, Felix ? " "No," replied Felix : "this is prime! for uncle will have to get Johnny a bicycle now, and then we can ride everywhere together, when my ankle gets well; for by that time he can ride capitally, I'll bet." Johnny came back in about half an hour, quite flushed with success and exercise, and looking very animated. I surprised the boys I met," said he. I met Alec and Fred walking together, and they |