k.

Christie was not long in repeating his visit to the suburban road, but
this time, though he played his four tunes twice through and lingered
regretfully over "Home, sweet Home," he saw nothing of the children, and
received neither smiles nor snowdrops. For Mabel and Charlie had gone
for a long country walk with their nurse, and were far away from the
sound of poor Christie's organ.

Treffy was still unable to get out, and he grew rather fretful
sometimes, even with Christie. It was very dull for him sitting alone
all day; and he had nothing to comfort him, not even his old friend the
organ. And when Christie came home at night, if the store of pence was
not so large as usual, poor old Treffy would sigh and moan, and wish he
could get about again, and take his old organ out as before.

But Christie bore it very patiently, for he loved his old master more
than he had loved any one since his mother died; and love can bear many
things. Still, he did wish he could find some one or something to
comfort Treffy, and to make him better.

"Master Treffy," he said one night, "shall I fetch the doctor to you?"

"No, no, Christie, boy," said Treffy; "let me be, let me be."

But Christie was not to be so easily put off. What if Treffy should die,
and leave him alone in the world again? The little attic, dismal though
it was, had been a home to Christie, and it had been good to have some
one to love him once again. He would be very, very lonely if Treffy
died; and the old man was growing very thin and pale, and his hands were
very trembling and feeble; he could scarcely turn the old organ now. And
Christie had heard of old people "breaking up," as it is called, and
then going off suddenly; and he began to be very much afraid old Treffy
would do the same. He _must_ get some one to come and see his old
master.

The landlady of the house had fallen downstairs and broken her arm. A
doctor came to see _her_, Christie knew; oh, if he would only step
upstairs and look at old Treffy! It was such a little way from the
landlady's room to the attic, and it would only take him a few minutes.
And then Christie could ask him what was the matter with the old man,
and whether old Treffy would get better.

These thoughts kept Christie awake a long time that night; he turned
restlessly on his pillow, and felt very troubled and anxious. The
moonlight streamed into the room, and fell on old Treffy's face as he
lay on his bed in the corner. C