It was not until late in the evening that I could spare time to call upon her, and, what was not usual, I went empty-handed. I found to my surprise that the door was shut to, and the shutters of the shop not taken down. I tried the latch, the door opened, and I went in. "Who's there?" screamed old Nanny from the inner room. "What do you want?" "It's only Poor Jack, mother," replied I, "come to see how you are." "Come in," replied she; "I'm very bad. Oh! oh! I thought it was some thief or another come to steal all the things in my shop." I entered the room and found old Nanny in bed; she looked very ill and miserable, and everything was very dirty. "Are you not well, mother?" said I. "Well, boy? No, very ill, very ill indeed, haven't left my bed these three days. Reach me a little water, Jack, there's a good boy. I've been dying for water." I handed her a broken jug which had some water in it. She drank greedily, so as to spill nearly half of it on the coverlid. "Oh, how good it is!" exclaimed the old woman, as soon as she recovered her breath. "I'm better now. I could not reach it myself. I've the rhematiz so bad! I've been in such a fright because I could not lock the door; it kept me awake all night long. Oh, my poor back!" "But why did you not send for the doctor, mother?" "Doctor! Eh? who's to pay him? I've got no money, Jack." "Well, but Doctor Tadpole's very kind." "Yes, yes, kind to the widow; but not to old women like me, without any money." "But why not have some one to sit up with you, and help you?" "Sit up with me! Who'd sit up with me? Yes, if I paid them. But I've no money, Jack; and then, I don't know them. They might rob me--there's a great many pretty things in my shop." "But you might die, mother, lying here without any one to help you." "Die! Well, and who would care if a poor old woman like me died, Jack?" "I should care, for one, mother; and so would my sister Virginia, and many others besides." "You might care, Jack, for you're a good boy; and so might your little sister, for she has a kind heart, but nobody else, Jack--no, not one!" I could not reply to this remark, as I really did not know anybody who would have cared; so I said, "You must see the doctor, mother. I will go for him." "No, Jack, I can't afford it, it's no use; besides, I'm better now." "Well, if you can't afford it, you shall not pay him; and, if he will not come for nothing, I'll pay him myself." "Will you pay him, Jack? that's a good boy. You promised me bargains, you know; that shall be one of them." "Well, mother, I'll make the bargain that I'll pay him, if you'll see him,--so good bye now. Do you want anything before I go?" "No, Jack, no; I don't want anything, only just lock the door and take the key with you when you go out, and then no one can rob me, Jack, whilst you're gone." I complied with her request, and ran for Doctor Tadpole, whom I found smoking his cigar in the widow's shop.