Jack at Sea | Page 4

knowledge, but, as I said
before, I am perfectly sure of what is the matter with Jack here."
"Yes? What is it?--or no, I ought not to ask you that," said the father,
with a hasty glance at his son.
"Oh yes, you ought. Why not? In this case it is quite right that he

should know. I am going to convince him that he is in a very bad way."
"You think so?" cried Sir John, leaning forward anxiously.
"Yes, sir, a very bad way, though the conceited young rascal is
laughing in his sleeve and mentally calling me a pretender."
"Indeed, no, Doctor Instow," cried Jack indignantly.
"What? Why you are saying to yourself all the time that you know
better than I."
"I only felt that I was right and you were wrong, doctor," said the lad
frankly.
"Same thing, my boy," cried the doctor, smiling. "Not the first time two
people have been of different opinions, and we shan't quarrel, Jack.
Know one another too well."
"Yes, yes," said Sir John impatiently. "But you said you thought he was
in a bad way."
"I said I was sure."
"Yes, yes; then what is to be done? We must get him out of the bad
way."
"The right treatment to a T," said the doctor.
"Then be frank, Instow," said Sir John; "what is the matter?"
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fight again, but it has been fostered too much. Dad here, in his pride of
your attainments, has allowed you to go too far. He has thought it was a
natural weakness and tendency to bad health which kept you from
taking to outdoor life more, but neither he nor I had the least idea that

you carried it to such an extent, and it did not show so much till you
came home after this last half."
"No, not till now, my boy," said Sir John.
"The result of the grinding of the past four years is just coming out with
a rush," continued the doctor, "and if you went back to the school you
would break down by the next holidays."
"If I went back?" cried the boy. "If? Oh, I must go back. I am expected
to take some of the principal prizes next year."
"And lose the greatest prize that can be gained by a young man, my
lad-- health."
"Hah!" sighed Sir John; "he is quite right, Jack, I am afraid."
"Right as right, my boy. Here in four years you have done the work of
about eight. It's very grand, no doubt, but it won't do."
"But what is to be done?" cried Sir John.
"Let the brain run fallow for the other four years, and give the body a
chance," said the doctor bluntly.
"What! do nothing for four years?" cried the lad indignantly.
"Who said do nothing?" said the doctor testily.
"Do something else. Rest your brain with change, and give your body a
fair chance of recovering its tone."
"Yes, Jack, my boy; he is quite right," cried Sir John.
"But, father, I should be wretched."
"How do you know?" said the doctor. "You have tried nothing else but
books. There is something else in the world besides books, my lad. Ask
your father if there is not. What's that about sermons in insects and

running stones in the brooks, Meadows? I never can recollect
quotations. Don't you imagine, my conceited young scholiast, that there
is nothing to be seen or studied that does not exist in books. But I'm
growing hoarse with talking and telling you the simple truth."
"Yes, Jack, my boy, it is the simple truth," said Sir John. "I was saying
something of the kind to you, as you know, when Doctor Instow came;
but all the time I was sure that you were ill--and you are."
"Oh yes, he's ill, and getting worse. Any one can see that."
"But I do not feel ill, father."
"Don't feel languid, I suppose?" said the doctor.
"Well, yes, I do often feel languid," said Jack, "when the weather is--"
"Bother the weather!" roared the doctor. "What business has a boy like
you to know anything about the weather? Your father and I at your age
would have played football, or cricket, or gone fishing in any weather--
eh, Meadows?"
"Yes, in any weather," said Sir John, smiling. "A British boy knowing
anything about the weather! Bosh! Do you think any of our old heroes
ever bothered their brains about the weather when they wanted to do
something? Look here! another word or two. You always go to sleep of
course directly you lay your head on the pillow, and want another
snooze when it's time to get up, eh?"