“No, dear,” said the nurse. “Dr. Carrolton has decided that you will be better off at home. I am going to get you ready.” “Will you--will you stay with me when--when he operates?” asked the girl in a pleading tone. “Of course I will, dearest,” said the kind-hearted nurse, putting her arms around the girl. “Your mother will be here too, and we will take good care of you, never fear.” “Will it hurt very much?” asked Lucy. “Not much, dear. It may, a little. Will you mind?” “Not--if it makes me well,” replied Lucy. The Dexter household was much upset for the next few days. A room had to be prepared for Lucy, and this the trained nurse arranged. Then came a man, bringing a strange sort of folding table on which the little girl was to lie while the great doctor operated on her. Larry could hardly do his work for thinking of what was to happen, and Mrs. Dexter was so nervous that she did not know what to do. But Lucy proved herself a brave girl. She was cheerful, and even joked at times, telling Larry she would soon be running races with him. The younger children did not know what was going on. Kind neighbors cared for them at times, when there was too much for Mrs. Dexter to do. At last came the day for the operation; Dr. Carrolton came in his carriage, with another physician to help him. All save the nurse and the doctors were banished from the room where Lucy was taken. Mr. Emberg, who had heard of what was going on, excused Larry from work that day, for he knew the copy boy’s heart would be at home with his sister. Mrs. Dexter wept at times, and several women friends came in to comfort her. There was an hour of anxious waiting. Then from the room where the operation had been performed came Dr. Carrolton. “Will she--is it--can--” began Larry, but he was excited and stammered so he could not talk. “We hope it will be a success,” said the physician in kind tones. “It was a bad case. Much worse than I had supposed. But if we can make her walk again, Larry, my boy, if we can have her run around like other little girls, we’ll do it!” Larry gritted his teeth to keep back the tears that were all too ready to flow. But he put on a brave front. “Thank you, doctor,” was all he could say. “Now she must be kept very quiet,” the surgeon said. “The nurse will stay with her, but she must not be disturbed. I will stop in again this evening. Now good-bye, and don’t worry.” He went out, followed by his assistant, leaving Larry in a sort of daze. The boy tiptoed to the sick room, and knelt down by the door. He tried to listen to hear what was going on inside, but there was a strange ringing in his ears that prevented him. Once he thought he heard his sister groan, and this so frightened him that he ran away. His mother, who had been cared for by the neighbors, who also looked after James and Mary, came back now, her eyes red from weeping. The nurse came out of the operating room.