He had to go home without any help from Mrs Wilson. All the way he kept thinking with himself something after this fashion-- "Mamma won't wake me, and Agnes can't; and the worst of it is that everybody else will be just as fast asleep as I shall be. Let me see--who _is_ there that's awake all night? There's the cat: I think she is, but then she wouldn't know when to wake me, and even if I could teach her to wake me the moment Agnes cried, I don't think she would be a nice one to do it; for if I didn't come awake with a pat of her velvety pin-cushions, she might turn out the points of the pins in them, and scratch me awake. There's the clock; it's always awake; but it can't tell you the time till you go and ask it. I think it might be made to wind up a string that should pull me when the right time came; but I don't think I could teach it. And when it came to the pull, the pull might stop the clock, and what would papa say then? They tell me the owls are up all night, but they're no good, I'm certain. I don't see what I _am_ to do. I wonder if God would wake me if I were to ask Him?" I don't know whether Willie did or did not ask God to wake him. I did not inquire, for what goes on of that kind, it is better not to talk much about. What I do know is, that he fell asleep with his head and heart full of desire to wake and help his mother; and that, in the middle of the night, he did wake up suddenly, and there was little Agnes screaming with all her might. He sat up in bed instantly. "What's the matter, Willie?" said his mother. "Lie down and go to sleep." "Baby's crying," said Willie. "Never you mind. I'll manage her." "Do you know, mamma, I think I was waked up just in time to help you. I'll take her from you, and perhaps she will take her drink from me." "Nonsense, Willie. Lie down, my pet." "But I've been thinking about it, mamma. Do you remember, yesterday, Agnes would not take her bottle from you, and screamed and screamed; but when Tibby took her, she gave in and drank it all? Perhaps she would do the same with me." [Illustration: "WILLIE SAT DOWN WITH THE BABY ON HIS KNEES, AND SHE STOPPED CRYING."] As he spoke he slipped out of bed, and held out his arms to take the baby. The light was already coming in, just a little, through the blind, for it was summer. He heard a cow lowing in the fields at the back of the house, and he wondered whether her baby had woke her. The next moment he had little Agnes in his arms, for his mother thought he might as well try, seeing he was awake. "Do take care and don't let her fall, Willie." "That I will, mamma. I've got her tight. Now give me the bottle, please." "I haven't got it ready yet; for you woke the minute she began to cry."