He gave up trying to make conversation; instead, he watched the clock.
Mary had said that David must go to bed at eight, and as the clock
began to strike, Dr. Lavendar, with some eagerness, opened his lips to
say good night--and closed them. "Guess he'd rather run his own rig,"
he thought. But to his relief, at the last stroke David got up.

"It's my bedtime, sir."

"So it is! Well, it will be mine after a while. Good night, my boy!"
Dr. Lavendar blinked nervously. Young persons were generally kissed.
"I should not wish to be kissed," he said to himself, and the two
shook hands gravely.

Left alone, he felt so fatigued he had to have that other pipe. Before
he had finished it his senior warden looked in at the study door.

"Come in, Samuel," said Dr. Lavendar. "Samuel, I feel as if I had
driven ten miles on a corduroy road!"

Mr. Wright looked blank; sometimes he found it hard to follow Dr.
Lavendar.

"Sam, young persons are very exciting."

"Some of them are, I can vouch for that," his caller assured him
grimly.

"Come, come! They are good for us," said Dr. Lavendar. "I wish you'd
take a pipe, Sam; it would cheer you up."