The door opened and into the bedroom came the Doctor. He had a face all
rosy from the cold. His eyes were black and so sharp that they looked right
through Marmaduke. But they were kind eyes and his voice had a pleasant
chuckle in it.

The Doctor came and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Well, well! How's my little soldier? Wounded in the battle or just playing
possum?"

Then Marmaduke opened his eyes.

After the Doctor had talked a while about lots of different things, before
Marmaduke knew it, there was something like a spoon or a shoe-horn in his
throat and the Doctor was telling him to say "Ah!"

"This isn't school," thought Marmaduke, "why does he make me say that?"

But he forgot to be frightened, for the Doctor was saying so many funny
things all the time.

Then he opened his black bag. It was full of little bottles, packed neatly
in rows. Marmaduke wished he would forget and leave it behind. It would be
fine to play with.

Mother brought two glasses and the Doctor poured some drops from one
bottle into a glass, then from another bottle into another glass. And he
said something to Mother in a low voice--Marmaduke could not hear what it
was--then he patted the little soldier on the head and said good-bye.