"Well, child, when you have made yourself a bit tidy you come down as quiet as you can, and see what I'm about. There's Jem's teapot on the hob for you, and some nice bread and butter. Dickie's fast asleep now, and I must go back to them." She went to seek Jem, who was not in the front room. She came to the open door, and saw him standing looking intently into the cradle. He turned hastily when he saw his mother, and signed to her to go into the other room, whither he followed quickly. "Mother," he said, in a low tone, "what must I do about the little babe?" He spoke in a smothered voice, and his mother knew the pang he must feel, now the excitement of all that had happened on the previous day was passing off. She gave him a few brief instructions, and after saying he understood, he presently added, "Mother, I shall go to my master's, and ask him to let me off for a few hours. There ain't nothin' particular doin', so I dare say he'll make no objections. You see I've got to go about this----; and then when I come back Cherry and me must go to the hospital. I've been told as he's not expected to live the day. D'ye think my Meg'ull be awake when I come back?" "Very likely she will. And, Jem, tell Mrs. Blunt as you pass, as I want her to step up for a few minutes. I've done by her clothes as I've never done by no one's, all these twenty years that I've washed for people. I've let some one belongin' to me wear one! What do you think of your old mother now, Jem?" "It's what she'll think," answered Jem with a slight smile. "I'll tell her to step up anyway." [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER XIV. IN THE HOSPITAL. Jem came back within the hour. He found his Meg awake and calm. She had had some breakfast, and was now lying with her hand clasped in little Dickie's with a serene smile on her face. As for the child, he lay on the soft white pillow with his eyes closed from the light, dozing occasionally and then rousing just enough to understand the tender care that surrounded him, and to realize that he need have no fear now. "Cherry," he said, without moving, hearing Jem's entrance and believing it to be his sister, "is this what ye asked Jesus to send me?" "Yes," answered Cherry, who was standing on the other side of the bed, "only I didn't know as the Lord Jesus would send anything so very nice as this." Dickie assented, adding with a little sigh of satisfaction, "I never want to get up no more." "You shall lie here as long as you like," said Meg assuringly. "Now, Dickie, open your eyes and look at Jem." "I can't open my eyes," answered Dickie, "'cause they hurt so; but I'm glad fa'ver-Jem has come back." "Am I to be 'father-Jem'?" asked the man, bending down to look closer into the little face. "Yes," said Dickie; "if it's 'mo'ver-Meg,' it must be 'fa'ver-Jem.'" Jem smiled and then sighed. He had hoped for something different from this; but what if His Father's will had arranged it so?