at four o'clock for the visitors to
leave, they felt sure there must have been a mistake. "It can't be more
than three!" said Bella, quite distressed. But all the clocks in the town
were striking four, and all the other visitors in the ward were preparing
to leave. Bella's spirits sank again, it seemed so dreadful to go away
and leave her father there, and it took all her courage to keep from
breaking down and weeping bitterly.

"Never mind," said Tom, trying to be cheerful, "one week has gone, and the
worst one for father, I expect, and p'raps in two or three more he'll be
home again."

"The nurse said he would be home for Christmas," said Bella dolefully;
"but I think she must have made a mistake, and meant Michaelmas, for
Christmas is more than three months off yet. He'll be sure to be back
before the Fair, won't he, Tom?"

"Oh yes," said Tom decidedly, with never a doubt.

The nurse had said Christmas, and she meant Christmas, though, mercifully
for the children, they continued for some time to feel sure she had made a
mistake, and hope burnt brightly in their hearts week after week, and
their spirits were never daunted.

CHAPTER IX.

HOME AGAIN.

The nurse had spoken truly enough. William Hender did not die, and he got
back to his home in time for Christmas. All through September and October
the children kept up their hopes, each week they felt sure the next would
bring the news that he was well enough to return to them; but the weeks
went by, September had slipped into October, and October into November,
and still he did not come.

The heat had suddenly broken up at the end of September, and the weather
turned wet and stormy and depressing. Bella and Tom found the work in the
garden almost beyond their power, and they longed for their father's help
and advice; but week after week went by, and still he could not come, and
the work had to be done somehow, by somebody.

Then, in November, the blow that some had feared all along fell on them.
The doctor told Miss Hender that her brother might return to his home in a
few weeks' time, but that he would never again be fit for hard work.
He would be able to walk about a little, but he would always be a cripple
and an invalid, and quite unable to carry on his old occupation.

The news fell on them all with crushing force. Miss Hender fell into her
gloomiest mood, and drew the most miserable pictures of the future, with
six to feed and clothe, ren