her what a self-righteous and
conceited thing it was that she was saying. "I had better put her back to
bed again, I expect," she concluded, more gently.

"I suppose so," agreed Audrey doubtfully. She did not in the least know
what to do in a case of illness. Mary came to the rescue. Mary had lots
of brothers and sisters at home, and had had a good deal of experience.

"I shouldn't, miss," she said, "in this summer weather it is so hard to
keep them covered up, and restless as Miss Joan is, she wouldn't have the
bedclothes over her more'n a minute at a time. I'd give her a nice deep
hot bath here by the fire, and then wrap her up in a big shawl, and keep
her by the fire. It'll be hot for anybody that's holding her, but I
believe it'll drive the chill out of her quicker than anything."

"I'll do anything to get her well again," said Faith eagerly. So a bath
was made ready--all the water that was needed for breakfast was used for
it, but that was a trifling matter, and Mary's advice was followed to the
letter.

"Now I'll get her some hot milk," said Mary, as she arranged the last wrap
around the little patient, and put the cookery book under Faith's feet for
a footstool.

"Oh!" gasped Faith, "don't make up too big a fire, Mary, or I shall really
explode!"

Audrey, ashamed and sorry, moved about unobtrusively trying to do what she
could; but it was mortifying to her to find how little she could do.
At last it occurred to her to go upstairs and see if Tom and Debby wanted
any help in the fastening of strings and buttons, and the brushing of
hair.

"Oh dear," she sighed, "you have only one button left on your frock,
Debby, and the string of your apron is broken. Can't you put on another?"

"They've all only got one string, you will find a safety pin somewhere,
I have it pinned gen'rally."

"Oh! well, I will mend them for you when I've got time."

"Faith said she would when she'd got time, but when she'd got time she
hadn't got any tape, and when we remembered to buy some tape we couldn't
find a bodkin. Where does one buy bodkins, Audrey?"

"I don't know, but I have two in my work-box. I will put in the tapes for
you. Now run down while I turn out the beds. Oh no, come here," as the
pair went dashing away, "come and fold up your nightgowns, you should
never leave them lying on the floor like that. Who do you think is going
to fold them for you? I believe you never think of the trouble you give."

T