So his last
duty in London was to visit Harry's house and bid them all a short
farewell. He found Harry measuring with his foot rule a box for one of
his finest paintings. It had to be precisely of the size Harry had
decided on and he was as bent on this result as if it was a matter of
great importance.
"You see, John," he said, "it is a very hard thing to make the box fit
the picture. It is really a difficult thing to do."
John smiled and then asked, "Why should you do it, Harry? It would be so
easy _not_ to do it, or to have a man who makes a business of the work
do it for you." And Harry shook his head and began the measurement of
box and picture over again.
"The little chappies are asleep, John, I wouldn't disturb them. Lucy is
in the nursery. You had better tell her anything that ought to be done.
I shall be sure to forget with these measurements to carry in my head."
"Put them on paper, Harry."
"The paper might get lost."
And John smiled and answered, "So it might."
So John went to the nursery and first of all to the boys' bed.
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