tion. It was
astonishing what a clearance was made in a short time. But it did not
do all the good that was expected. There was so much vegetable decay in
the region round, that the floating dead animals off to a distance
caused only a partial relief.

While the boys were hard at work at their disagreeable task, Mildred was
enjoying seeing George in his warm bath. Ailwin held him there, while
Mildred continued her useful business of filtering water, talking to the
child all the while. The poor little fellow soon left off crying, and
moved his weak limbs about in the tepid water, trying to splash Ailwin,
as he had been wont to splash his mother in play, every morning when she
washed and dressed him.

"I am sure it does him a great deal of good," exclaimed Mildred. "I
will filter quantities of water; and he shall have a bath as often as
ever it is good for him. Suppose it should make him well!"

Ailwin shook her head. She saw how impossible it would be even to keep
a healthy child well in the absence of proper food, in an unwholesome
atmosphere, and without sufficient shelter from the changes of weather
which might come at any hour, and must come soon. How unlikely it was
that a sick baby should recover under such circumstances, she was well
aware. Yet she little thought how near the end was.

After his bath, Geordie lay, nicely covered up, on a mattress under the
tent. One or other of his nurses visited, him every few minutes; and
both were satisfied that he was comfortably asleep. The boys came for
some dinner, at last; and while Oliver went to wash his hands in clean
water, Roger stooped over the child to kiss him. Before doing so,
however, he started back, and asked Ailwin why the baby's eyes looked so
strangely. They were half closed, and seemed like neither sleep nor
waking. Ailwin sat down on the mattress, and took him into her arms,
while Mildred ran to call Oliver. The poor child stretched himself
stiff across Ailwin's knees, and then breathed no more.

When Oliver and Mildred came running back, Ailwin was putting her cheek
near the child's mouth, to feel if there was indeed no breath. She
shook her head, and her eyes ran over with tears. Oliver kneeled down,
and put his hand to the heart--it did not beat. He lifted the wasted
arm--it fell, as if it had never had life in it. There lay the little
body, still unmoved, with the face composed,--the eyes dim and half
closed, the ear hearing no