itting room together, and Mrs. Hamilton lighted the gas.

"You poor little things," she said cheerfully, "what a long, lonely
afternoon you have had. They've been as quiet as little mice, doctor,
and I feel sure Betty is going to be a great help to Miss Clark. As for
Jack, he is going to be a good, brave little boy, and let Winifred and
me take care of him till his mother gets well again."

She bent over the sofa as she spoke, and softly kissed Jack's forehead.
He looked up in her face rather apprehensively, and his lip trembled.

"You're very kind indeed," he said politely, "but if you please, I'd
rather stay with mother. I'll be very good."

"I know you will be good, dear; but, you see, there isn't very much
room here. Betty will have to sleep in your bed, and then there is Miss
Clark, you know. So I want you to be a very good boy, and come home with
me. Betty shall come down to see you the first thing in the morning, and
you and Winifred will have such good times together."

Jack began to cry.

"I'd rather not, indeed, I would much rather not," he sobbed; "I've
never been away from mother and Betty at night. Mother always puts me to
bed."

Mrs. Hamilton looked distressed and rather helpless, but the doctor came
to the rescue.

"Jack," he said pleasantly, sitting down beside the little boy, "what
would you like to be when you grow up?"

"An artist," said Jack promptly, and in his surprise at the question he
forgot to cry. "My father was an artist, and I want to be one too. My
grandfather was a general, and I'd like to be a soldier, but I couldn't,
you know, on account of not being able to walk."

"I don't know about that," said the doctor, smiling; "fighting isn't the
only part of a soldier's duty, you know. Wouldn't you like to begin by
being a brave little soldier boy now?"

"How could I?" Jack inquired wonderingly.

"Well, one very important part of a soldier's duty is to obey orders.
Now we know that you want to stay here with your mother and Betty, but
we feel that it will be much better for you to go home with Mrs.
Hamilton, who has very kindly offered to take you with her. Betty can be
a great help to Miss Clark, the nurse, if she stays here. You would like
to do something to help your mother get well, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, of course I would," said Jack, with a brightening face.

"Well, the very best thing you can possibly do for her at this moment is
to obey Mrs. Hamilton, and let me carry you