Mary Jane made her very best courtesy; held out her hand and then looked up
into the stranger's face and asked, "Why does she call you a doctor?"

"Why shouldn't she?" asked the visitor curiously.

"Because you're not a doctor," answered Mary Jane positively. "Doctors wear
funny white coats and rub their hands together and say, 'Well, little girl,
what can I do for you to-day?' doctors do."

Dr. Smith and Mrs. Merrill laughed and the doctor sat down in the big
Morris chair and took Mary Jane in his lap.

"I'm sorry to disappoint any little girl," he said pleasantly, "but,
you see, I'm on a vacation so I don't have to wear a white coat and ask
questions. I can sit down in this comfortable chair and have a good time."

"Can you make Tommy behave while you are having a good time?" asked Mary
Jane.

"Who is Tommy?" inquired the doctor.

Mary Jane told him all about the school and Tommy who had trouble sitting
up as straight as the teddy bears did.

"I'm afraid I can't do much for Tommy this morning," said the doctor when
she had finished, "for I'm only here between trains. But I'll tell you what
you might do. You might pack Tommy and all the bears into a trunk and visit
your great-grandmother. Then I could help you."

"My great-grandmother!" exclaimed Mary Jane; "she lives way off in the