o your brothers for everything. And now, kiss me, Alice: you have
been a great comfort to me, for you have read the Bible to me when I
could no longer read myself. May your deathbed be as well attended as
mine has been, and may you live happily, and die the death of a
Christian! Good-bye, and may God bless you. Bless you, Edith; may you
grow up as good and as innocent as you are now. Farewell, Humphrey--
farewell, Edward--my eyes are dim--pray for me, children. O God of
mercy--pardon my many sins, and receive my soul, through Jesus Christ.
Amen, amen."

These were the last words spoken by the old forester. The children, who
were kneeling by the side of the bed, praying as he had requested, when
they rose up, found that he was dead. They all wept bitterly, for they
dearly loved the good old man. Alice remained sobbing in Edward's arms,
and Edith in Humphrey's, and it was long before the brothers could
console them. Humphrey at last said to Alice, "You hurt poor Edward's
arm--you don't know how painful it is! Come, dears, let us go into the
other room, and get something to take the pain away."

These requests diverted the attention at the same time that it roused
fresh sympathy in the little girls--they all went into the sitting-room.
Humphrey gave his sisters some potatoes to scrape upon a piece of
linen, while he took off Edward's coat, and turned up his shirt sleeves.
The scraped potatoes were then laid on the burn, and Edward said they
gave him great relief. Some more were then scraped by the little girls,
who could not, however, repress their occasional sobs. Humphrey then
told them that Edward had had nothing to eat, and that they must get him
some supper. This again occupied them for some time; and when the
supper was ready, they all sat down to it. They went to bed early, but
not before Edward had read a chapter out of the Bible, and the prayers,
as old Jacob had always done; and this again caused their tears to flow
afresh.

"Come, Alice dear, you and Edith must go to bed," said Humphrey.

The little girls threw themselves into their brothers' arms; and having
wept for some time, Alice raised herself, and taking Edith by the hand,
led her away to the bedroom.

CHAPTER TEN.

"Humphrey," said Edward, "the sooner all this is over the better. As
long as poor Jacob's body remains in the cottage there will be nothing
but distress with the poor girls."

"I agree with you," replied Humphrey; "