to get well now, and make yourself at home at my
house, and be merry with Agnes. Now shall we go, while the sun shines?
Here is your mother all cloaked up in her warm things."

"O, mother! Agnes is come," cried Hugh.

This was no news; for it was his mother who had guessed what companion
he would like to have. She now showed her large warm cloak, in which
Hugh was to be wrapped; and his neck was muffled up in a comforter.

"But how am I to go?" asked Hugh, trembling with this little bustle.

"Quietly in your bed," said his uncle. "Come, I will lift you into it."

And his uncle carried him down-stairs to the front door, where two of
Mr Shaw's men stood with a litter, which was slung upon poles, and
carried like a sedan-chair. There was a mattress upon the litter, on
which Hugh lay as comfortably as on a sofa. He said it was like being
carried in a palanquin in India,--if only there was hot sunshine, and no
frost and snow.

Mr Tooke, and Mrs Watson, and Firth shook hands with Hugh, and said
they should be glad to see him back again: and Mr Tooke added that some
of the boys should visit him pretty often till the breaking-up. Nobody
else was allowed to come quite near; but the boys clustered at that side
of the playground, to see as much as they could. Hugh waved his hand;
and every boy saw it; and in a moment every hat and cap was off, and the
boys gave three cheers,--the loudest that had ever been heard at
Crofton. The most surprising thing was that Mr Tooke cheered, and Mr
Shaw too. The men looked as if they would have liked to set down the
litter, and cheer too: but they did not quite do that. They only smiled
as if they were pleased.

There was one person besides who did not cheer. Tooke stood apart from
the other boys, looking very sad. As the litter went down the by-road,
he began to walk away; but Hugh begged the men to stop, and called to
Tooke. Tooke turned: and when Hugh beckoned, he forgot all about
bounds, leaped the paling, and came running. Hugh said,--

"I have been wanting to see you so! But I did not like to ask for you
particularly."

"I wish I had known that."

"Come and see me,--do," said Hugh. "Come the very first, wont you?"

"If I may."

"Oh, you may, I know."

"Well, I will, thank you. Good-bye."

And on went the litter, with Mrs Proctor and Mr Shaw walking beside
it. The motion did not hurt Hugh at all; and he was so warmly wrapped
up, and the day so fine, that h