"
"That's what I say," Captain Runacles put in.
"Do not interrupt me, please. I say no _better_ father could be
found. I did not say that none could be found as good. My dear
Runacles, you tossed the dice out of the window and flounced off in a
huff. As they had been borrowed, and without their owner's consent,
I thought fit to step across the street and pick them up. They were
lying not a yard apart in the gutter. You were wrong, captain, in
not giving them a look."
"Why?"
"_Simply because, as they lay, two sixes were uppermost._"
The two captains stared at him.
"I give you my word," he said quietly.
"My dear Jack--"
"That settles it, Jemmy."
They took each other's hand.
"But excuse me," said Dr. Beckerleg, "this is not what I came to tell
you. Just now I have given Tristram leave to stroll out into the
garden for an hour and he is waiting for you to dress him."
But here the doctor made a mistake, for when they went upstairs there
was no sign of Tristram. He and his clothes had disappeared.
They ran down to the front-door and looked around. There was no sign
of him.
Finally Dr. Beckerleg advanced to the little blue door in the hedge,
opened it, and poked his head into Captain Runacles' garden.
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