“That’s he! that’s Rocket!  I knew he’d come.  I’ve only been waiting for him to start on that long journey.  Ho!  Aunt Eunice!  Pack my clothes.  I’m going away, where I shan’t mortify Ad any more.  Hurry up.  Rocket is growing impatient.  Don’t you hear him pawing the turf?  I’m coming, my boy, I’m coming!” and he attempted to leap upon the floor, but the doctor’s strong arm held him down, while Alice, whose voice alone he heeded, strove to quiet him.

“I wouldn’t go away to-day,” she said soothingly.  “Some other time will do as well, and Rocket can wait.”

“Will you stay with me?” Hugh asked.

“Yes, I’ll stay,” was Alice’s reply.

“I’m glad he’s roused up,” the doctor said, “though I don’t like the way his fever increases,” and Alice knew by the expression of his face that there was but little hope, determining not to leave him during the night.

Densie or Aunt Eunice might sleep on the lounge, she said, but the care, the responsibility shall be hers.  To this the doctor willingly acceded, thinking that Hugh was safer with her than any one else.  Exchanging the white wrapper she had worn through the day for one more suitable, Alice, after an hour’s rest in her own room, returned to Hugh, who had missed her sadly, and who knew the moment she came back to him, even though his eyes were closed, and he seemed to be half asleep.

“Mas’r Hugh won’t die,” and Muuggins’ faith came to the rescue, throwing a ray of hope into the darkness.  “Miss Alice axed God to spar’ him, and so did I; now He will, won’t He, miss?” and she turned to Adah, who, with Sam, had just come up to Spring Bank, and hearing voices in the kitchen had entered there first.  “Say, Miss Adah, won’t God cure Mas’r Hugh—­’ca’se I axed Him oncet?”

“You must pray more than once, child; pray many, many times,” was Adah’s reply; whereupon Mug looked aghast, for the idea of praying a second time had never entered her brain.

Still, if she must, why, she must, and she stole quietly from the kitchen.  But it was now too dark to go down in the woods by the running brook, and remembering Alice had said that God was everywhere, she first cast around her a timid glance, as if fearful she should see Him, and then kneeling in the grass, wet with the heavy night dew, the little negro girl prayed again for Master Hugh, starting as she prayed at the sound which met her ear, and which came from the spot where Rocket still was standing by the block, waiting for his master.

Claib had offered him food and offered him drink, but both had been refused, and opening the stable door so that he could go in whenever he chose, Claib had left him there alone, solitary watcher of the night, waiting for poor Hugh.

Returning to the house, Mug stole upstairs to the door of the sickroom, where Alice was now alone with Hugh.

He was awake, and for an instant seemed to know her, for he attempted to speak, but the rational words died on his lips, and he only moaned, as if in distress.