"Aw sleep well, leastwise aw did till a neet or two sin, when aw started dreamin' o' washing clothes, an' aw knew it were a sign o' a burial i' th' family. 'William Bamforth,' aw said to th' mester, 'William Bamforth, as sure as yo're a living man there'll be a death i' th' family afore yo'r a month older, but little did aw think o' yar Ben bein' laid low. Aw put it down to my sister Matty. He did nowt but laugh, but he'll happen believe me now. It's a judgment on him for scoffing.'" "Mrs. Bamforth, you must take to your bed at once; and you must not stir out of it till I give you leave. You must send Martha to the surgery at once and I'll make up a bottle, and three times a day you must take it." "But I ail nowt, doctor." "You may pour it down the sink." Was the doctor off his head? But no, he went on: "You must impress it on Martha, I'll tell her myself, that you are dangerously ill and every day I'll drive up myself to see you. You must tell Martha to mind she says nothing about it in the village, and then I suppose it'll be all over the Country in no time. And if anybody asks where Ben is, he's gone on his rounds. Now do you understand?" I did anyway, and I pressed his hand gratefully. "It may be a fortnight before Ben's fit to be moved, and then, mark you, he must be moved, and for my credit's sake, if for no other reason, not a soul out of this house must know Ben's within a hundred miles of this." "God bless you, doctor. Aw've been wondering and wondering ever sin' 'Si' brought him home, whatever we should say to th' neighbours. An' yo've found a way all in a minnit. See what it is to be eddicated. Aw'll be i' bed afore yo're out o' th' house. An' mind yo' insense it into our William, for he's that stupid he'll spoil it all. An', for sure, aw don't feel very well; it's my heart, doctor." And I think my mother came as near winking as ever she did since she made lovers' signals across the pews, when my father was courting her. CHAPTER IX. MY Father and Siah left home that very day with the waggon. It was given out in the little village that I was gone too, and it was soon town's talk that Mrs. Bamforth was sick and that Dr. Dean was visiting her twice a day. 'Siah came up to see me in bed before he started.