heumatic fever, which is sometimes very stubborn, and if
we don't work hard--"

He paused, tempted to pass one arm about the girl as his sister had
done; but the womanliness of her forbade.

"Ye think Flukey mightn' get well?" Flea breathed.

Ann turned anxious eyes upon the boy, who was muttering incoherently.

"Poor little child! May Jesus help him!" she whispered.

Flea rose to her feet.

"Jesus! Jesus!" she repeated solemnly. "Granny Cronk used to talk about
him. He's the Man what's a sleepin' in the grave with the kid with the
same name as that bright-eyed duffer who don't like Fluke nor me."

Ann, mystified, glanced at Horace.

Flukey turned slowly, opened his eyes, and murmured;

"'Gentle Jesus, meek and mild, look upon a little--'"

He sighed painfully as the last words trailed from his lips. Flea ended
his quotation, saying:

"'A little child.' But, Flukey, Jesus is dead and buried."

"No, no, He isn't, child!" cried Ann sharply. "He'll never die. He will
always help little children."

"Ain't He a restin' in the dead man's yard out there?"
demanded Flea, lifting her robe as she moved toward Ann.

"No! indeed, no! He is everywhere, with the dead and the living, with
men and women, and also with little children."

"Where be He?" Flea asked.

"In Heaven," replied Ann, leaning over Flukey. "And He's able even to
raise the dead."

Flea grasped her arm.

"Then, if He's everywhere, as ye've jest said, can't ye--"

Flukey opened his eyes.

"If ye know that Man Jesus, well enough," he broke forth, trying to take
her hand in his, "if ye ever sees Him to speak to Him, will ye say that,
if He'll let my bones get well, and keep my little Flea from Lem, I'll
do all He says for me to? Tell Him--tell--tell Him, Ma'm, that my bones
be--almost a bustin'."

"Can He help Fluke any if ye ask Him?" Flea questioned.

Ann nodded; but Flea, not satisfied, asked the question directly of
Horace.

"I believe so," he hesitated; "yes, I do believe that He can and will
help your brother."

"Will ye ask Him?" Flea pleaded. "Will ye both ask Him?"

Ann answered yes quickly; and Flea was satisfied with the nod Horace
gave her before he wheeled about to the window.

When Flukey was resting under the physician's medicine, Horace and Ann
listened to the tale of the squatter children's lives, told by Flea. It
was then that Shellington promised her that Squeaky should find a future
home on their farm among other ani