“Ay, verily.  I cannot think that London will ever be full again,” said the boy.  “There be whole streets with scarce an inhabitant left, and we know that multitudes of those who fled died of the pestilence on the road and in other places.  But today there was no memory for the misery of the past, only joy that the scourge was abating.  It is not that many do not still fall ill of the distemper, but that they recover now, where once they would have died.  And whereas three weeks back they died in a day or two days, now even if so be as they do die, it takes the poison eight or ten days to kill them.  The physicians say that that is because the malignity of the distemper is abating, wherefore men scarce fear it now, and come freely abroad, not in despair, as they did when it was so virulent a scourge, but because they fear it so much less than before.”

“And our parents and those at home?” asked Reuben eagerly.

“All well, though something weary and worn; but it is wondrous how they have borne up all through.  Father says that he will come hither to see us all the first moment he can.  His duties are like to have a speedy end; and he is longing for a sight of Reuben’s face, and of something better than closed houses and the wan faces of the sick or the mourners.”

“Poor brother James!” said Mary softly; “I would that he and his would leave the city behind for a while, and remain under my roof to recover their strength and health.  It must have been a sorely trying time.  Think you that they could leave the house together?  For we would make shift to receive them all, an they could come.”

This was a most delightful idea to all the party.  The hospitable cottage had plenty of rooms, although many of these were but attics beneath the thatched roof, none too light or commodious.  In summer they might have been too warm and stuffy to be agreeable sleeping places, but in the cooler autumn they would be good enough for hardy young folks brought up simply and plainly.

Joseph and Benjamin at once dashed all over the place, making plans for the housing of the whole party.  It would be the finest end to a melancholy period, being all together here in this homelike place.

Everything was duly arranged in the hopes of winning the father’s consent to the scheme.  Mary Harmer hunted up stores of bedding and linen, the latter of her own weaving, and every day they waited impatiently for the appearing of James Harmer, who, however, was unaccountably long in making his appearance.

He came at last, but it was with a sorrowful face and a bowed look which told at once a story of trouble, and made the whole party stand silent, after the first eager chorus of welcome, certain that he was the bearer of bad news.

“My poor boy Dan!” he said in a choked voice, and sat himself heavily down upon the chair beside the hearth.

“Dan!” cried Reuben, and the word was echoed by all the brothers in tones of varying surprise and dismay.  “You do not mean that he is dead!”