milin' so quiet, and don't pass a word nor yit a
look upon me for having done it, she don't; and I turns agin the wall, I
doos, Mr. Snagsby. And Mr. Woodcot, he come to give me somethink to ease
me, wot he's allus a-doing on day and night, and wen he come over me and
a-speakin' up so bold, I see his tears a-fallin', Mr. Snagsby."

After this, Jo lies in a stupor most of the time, and Allan Woodcourt,
coming in a little later, stands looking down on the wasted form, thinking
of the thousands of strong, merry boys to whom the story of Jo's life
would sound incredible. As he stands there, Jo rouses with a start.

"Well, Jo, what is the matter? Don't be frightened."

"I thought," says Jo, who had stared and is looking around, "I thought I
wos in Tom-all-Alone's again. Ain't there nobody here but you, Mr.
Woodcot?"

"Nobody."

"And I ain't took back to Tom-all-Alone's. Am I, sir?"

"No."

Jo closes his eyes, muttering, "I'm wery thankful!"

After watching him closely for a little while, Allan puts his mouth very
near his ear, and says to him in a low, distinct voice:

"Jo, did you ever know a prayer?"

"Never knowed no think, sir!"

"Not so much as one short prayer?"

"No, sir. Nothink at all, sir. Mr. Chadbands he wos a-praying wunst at Mr.
Snagsby's, and I heerd him, but he sounded as if he wos a-speaking to
hisself and not to me. He prayed a lot, but I couldn't make out nothink on
it. I never knowed wot it wos all about."

It takes him a long time to say this, and few but an experienced and
attentive listener could hear, or hearing understand him. After a short
relapse into sleep or a stupor he makes of a sudden a strong effort to get
out of bed.

"Stay, Jo, what now?"

"It's time for me to go to that there berrying-ground, sir," he returned
with a wild look.

"Lie down and tell me what burying-ground, Jo."

"Where they laid him as wos wery good to me; wery good to me indeed he
wos! It's time for me to go down to that there berrying-ground and ask to
be put along with him. I wants to go there and be berried. He used fur to
say to me, 'I am as poor as you to-day, Jo,' he says. I wants to tell him
that I am as poor as him now, and have come there to be laid along with
him."

"By-and-by, Jo, by-and-by."

"Ah! P'raps they wouldn't do it if I wos to go myself. But will you
promise to have me took there, sir, and laid along with him?"

"I will, indeed!"

"Thank 'ee, sir. Thank 'ee, sir. They'll have