y?"

"You would say, 'Don't you think, papa, you had better take it back to
the smith?"

"But why should I say that?"

"Because, when you saw his tools beside this lock, you would think the
tools so small and the lock so huge, that nothing could be done between
them. Yet I daresay the watchmaker could set the lock all right if he
chose to try. Don't you think so, Mr Willet?"

"Not a doubt of it," answered the smith.

"Had we better go to him then?"

"Well," answered the smith, smiling, "I think perhaps he would ask you
why you hadn't come to me. No doubt he could do it, but I've got better
tools for the purpose. Let me look at the lock. I'm sure I shall be able
to set it right."

"Not with that great big hammer, then," said Willie.

"No; I have smaller hammers than that. When do you want it, sir?"

"Could you manage to do it at once, and let me take it home, for there's
a little baby there, just arrived?"

"You don't mean it!" said the smith, looking surprised. "I wish you joy,
sir."

"And this is the lock of the room she's in," continued the doctor.

"And you're afraid of her getting out and flying off again!" said the
smith. "I will do it at once. There isn't much wrong with it, I daresay.
I hope Mrs Macmichael is doing well, sir."

He took the lock, drew several screws from it, and then forced it open.

"It's nothing but the spring gone," he said, as he took out something
and threw it away.

Then he took out several more pieces, and cleaned them all. Then he
searched in a box till he found another spring, which he put in instead
of the broken one, after snipping off a little bit with a pair of
pincers. Then he put all the pieces in, put on the cover of it, gave
something a few taps with a tiny hammer, replaced the screws, and said--

"Shall I come and put it on for you, sir?"

"No, no; I am up to that much," said Mr Macmichael. "I can easily manage
that. Come, Willie. I'm much obliged to you for doing it at once.
Good-night."

Then out they went into the snowstorm again, Willie holding fast by his
father's hand.

"This is good," said his father. "Your mother will have a better day all
to-morrow, and perhaps a longer sleep to-night for it. You see how easy
it is to be both useful and kind sometimes. The smith did more for your
mother in those few minutes than ten doctors could have done. Think of
his great black fingers making a little more sleep and rest and warmth
for her--and all in those f