he doctor came again and again; generally twice a
day. He of course had to be paid, and a good deal too. There was
nothing coming in, and poor mother became more and more anxious to get
out and attend to her business. The doctor warned her that she would go
at great risk--indeed, that she was not fit to leave her bed. "She had
no money left to pay for food and rent and the doctor's bill," she
answered, and go she must. Though she had no money, she had, however,
ample credit to stock her bumboat.

Very unwillingly Nancy assisted her to, dress. Out she would go, taking
me with her to lay in a stock of the articles she required. People
remarked on her changed looks, and some did not even know her. She
acknowledged that she was very tired when we got home, but declared that
she should be the better for going on the water.

The next morning old Tom had his boat ready. "I do wish, missus, that
you'd stayed at home a few days longer," he remarked, looking at her.
"Howsomedever, as you've come, I hopes you'll just take what I say
kindly, and not be from home longer than you can help. There's dirty
weather coming up from the south-west."

Tom was right. We had two ships to visit. Before we got alongside the
second down came the rain. But mother would go on, and consequently got
wet through. Tom was very unhappy, but she said that she had done a
good trade, and that no harm would come of it. Unhappily she was
mistaken; that night she was taken very ill--worse than before. I
fetched the doctor; he shook his head and said he wouldn't answer for
what might happen. Faithful Nancy was half distracted. Poor mother got
worse and worse. At last one day she beckoned with her pale hand to
Mary and me to come to her bedside.

"I know that I am going to be taken from you, my dears," she said, in a
low voice, for she could not speak loud. "I want you to promise me to
be true to each other, to do your duty in God's sight, and always to ask
Him to help you."

"I do, mother--I do promise," said Mary, the tears dropping from her
eyes.

She could scarcely speak for sobbing.

"I promise, too, mother, that I do!" I exclaimed, in a firmer voice;
and I sincerely intended to fulfil my promise.

Mother was holding our hands in hers. She said much more to us, anxious
to give us all the advice in her power. Nancy came in with her
medicine, after which she rallied, and bade us go to bed.

I was awakened early in the mornin