"No, aunt; I shall take it to mother myself."

"Did one ever hear of such a thing!" cried the widow. "Donkeys dance on
ropes, school-boys dabble in doctor's business! Show me the thing at
once! We want no quack wares."

"Quack wares!" replied Adrian eagerly. "It cost all my fair money, and
it's good medicine."

During this little discussion Doctor Bontius came down-stairs with the
burgomaster's wife. He had heard the boy's last words and asked sternly:

"Where did you get the stuff?"

With these words, he seized the hand of the lad, who did not venture to
resist the stern man, took the little vial and printed directions from
him and, after Adrian had curtly answered: "From Doctor Morpurgo!"
continued angrily:

"The brew is good to be thrown away; only we must take care not to poison
the fishes with it, and the thing cost half a florin. You're a rich
young man, Meister Adrian! If you have any superfluous capital again,
you can lend it to me."

These words spoiled the boy's pleasure, but did not convince him, and he
defiantly turned half away from the physician. Barbara understood what
was passing in his mind, and whispered compassionately to the doctor and
her sister-in-law: