“He is badly hurt, Gray; but doing very well, the doctor says.”

“Please, sir, can I see him?”

“Not upon any account for the present; he must be left in perfect quiet.  But why haven’t you been up to inquire after him before this?”

“Ah, sir, the state of my wife.”

“Oh, yes, I heard she was ill; but did not know that she was so ill as to prevent your coming to see after your poor boy.  I hope she is better now?”

“Yes, sir, thank Heaven, she is well over it!” said Reuben, satisfaction now expressed in every lineament of his honest face.

“What was the matter with her?  Was it the cholera morbus, that is so prevalent at this season?”

Reuben grinned from ear to ear; but did not immediately reply.

The judge looked as if he still expected an answer.  Reuben scratched his gray head, and looked up from the corner of his eye, as he at length replied: 

“It was a boy and a gal, sir!”

“A what?” questioned the judge—­perplexity.

“A boy and a gal, sir; twins, sir, they is,” replied Reuben Gray, joy getting the mastery over every other expression in his beaming countenance.

“Why—­you don’t mean to tell me that your wife has presented you with twins?” exclaimed the judge, both surprised and amused at the announcement.

“Well, yes, sir,” said Reuben proudly.

“But you are such an elderly couple!” laughed the judge.

“Well, yes, sir, so we is!  And that, I take it, is the very reason on’t.  You see, I think, sir, because we married very late in life—­poor Hannah and me—­natur’ took a consideration on to it, and, as we hadn’t much time before us, she sent us two at once! at least, if that aint the reason, I can’t account for them both in any other way!” said Reuben, looking up.

“That’s it!  You’ve hit it, Reuben!” said the judge, laughing.  “And mind, if they live, I’ll stand godfather to the babies at the christening.  Are they fine healthy children?”

“As bouncing babies, sir, as ever you set eyes on!” answered Reuben triumphantly.

“Count on me, then, Gray.”

“Thank you, sir!  And, your honor—­”

“Well, Gray?”

“Soon as ever Ishmael is able to hear the news, tell him, will you, please?  I think it will set him up, and help him on towards his recovery.”

“I think so, too,” said the judge.

Reuben touched his hat and withdrew.  And the judge returned to the house.

Claudia had come down and breakfasted, but was in a state of great annoyance because she was denied admittance to the bedside of her suffering favorite.

The judge, to divert her thoughts, told her of the bountiful present nature had made to Hannah and Reuben Gray.  At which Miss Claudia was so pleased that she got up and went to hunt through all her finery for presents for the children.

CHAPTER XLIII.