was once more taking a Sunday evening walk with his mother, when he was
roughly wakened up by his cousins.

"I say, lad, you're lying right across the bed. You must get up, and let
Dick and me come in, and then creep into the space that's left."

Tom got up dizzy and half awake. His cousins got into bed, and then
squabbled about the largest share. It ended in a kicking match, during
which Tom stood shivering by the bedside.

"I'm sure we're pinched enough as it is," said Dick at last. "And why
they've put Tom in with us I can't think. But I'll not stand it. Tom
shan't sleep with us. He may lie on the floor, if he likes. I'll not
hinder him."

He expected an opposition from Tom, and was rather surprised when he
heard the little fellow quietly lie down, and cover himself as well as
he could with his clothes. After some more quarrelling, Jack and Dick
fell asleep. But in the middle of the night Dick awoke, and heard by
Tom's breathing that he was still awake, and was crying gently.

"What! molly-coddle, crying for a softer bed?" asked Dick.

"Oh, no--I don't care for that--if--oh! if mother were but alive,"
little Tom sobbed aloud.

"I say," said Dick, after a pause. "There's room at my back, if you'll
creep in. There! don't be afraid--why, how cold you are, lad."

Dick was sorry for his cousin's loss, but could not speak about it.
However, his kind tone sank into Tom's heart, and he fell asleep once
more.

The three boys all got up at the same time in the morning, but were
not inclined to talk. Jack and Dick put on their clothes as fast as
possible, and ran downstairs; but this was quite a different way of
going on to what Tom had been accustomed. He looked about for some kind
of basin or mug to wash in; there was none--not even a jug of water in
the room. He slipped on a few necessary clothes, and went downstairs,
found a pitcher, and went off to the pump. His cousins, who were playing
in the court, laughed at him, and would not tell him where the soap was
kept: he had to look some minutes before he could find it. Then he went
back to the bedroom; but on entering it from the fresh air, the smell
was so oppressive that he could not endure it. Three people had been
breathing the air all night, and had used up every particle many times
over and over again; and each time that it had been sent out from the
lungs, it was less fit than before to be breathed again. They had not
felt how poisonous it was while they st