ken as to its cause, and the shocked look did not mean that he was
angry with them for coming, but was solely because of what their plight
would be if he slipped out of life just then.

"Yes, we are all here," she admitted, feeling more guilty than in all
her life before; and then, almost against her will, her voice rose
again in a passionate plea to him to get better. "Dear Father, do try
and get better, for we all want you so badly!"

"I will try. All seven of you! I can't go and leave you yet!" he
exclaimed, with so much more strength in his tone that Nealie was amazed
at the change.

At that moment young Dr. Plumstead, who had come close to the bed,
touched her on the shoulder, saying quietly: "Go and sit on that bench
just outside the door until I call you in again. You have done him good
already, and perhaps now we may pull him through, if God wills; but Mrs.
Twiney is going to help me dress his wounds properly now, and then
perhaps he will be more comfortable."

And Nealie went obediently to sit on the bench outside the door, where
the air was heavy with the tarry smell of burning pine and the strong
eucalyptus odours; then, clasping her hands, she prayed fervently that
her father might be restored to health, so that they might let him know
how much they loved him.

CHAPTER XIX

The News

"Four days since Dr. Plumstead and Nealie went away, and never a word to
say what has happened!" cried Sylvia as she came into Rupert's room to
see how he had slept.

"I expect they have eloped," remarked Don calmly, as he sat up on his
mattress and yawned widely, stretching first one leg and then another,
in order to get them properly awake, as he said; for, being at the
bottom, his legs always woke up last, according to his ideas.

"What do you mean?" demanded Sylvia, with a frown. She was feeling
tremendously grown-up in these days, and did not permit overmuch levity
on the part of her juniors.

"Isn't that what people do when they want to get married?" asked
Billykins, who was also just awake, and put his question while Don was
struggling to find a definition of the word.

"But Nealie does not want to marry that usurping doctor who has taken
dear Father's place!" cried Sylvia hotly, the colour flaming over face
and neck at the bare idea of such a thing.

"I expect they will want to marry each other. Mrs. Brown said so,"
returned Billykins; and then he and Don trotted off to wash in the horse
trough ou