t arm at all, and
you are so weak you could not stand up. Do be patient, and not think at
all of the shop."

"I must do as you bid me now, Maggie."

"Then don't think of the shop, or anything but our nice little home,
where we have always been so happy."

"How shall we pay the rent if I lie here? Where will you get food to
eat and clothes to wear?" demanded Andre, with something like a shudder
of his paralyzed frame.

"Don't think of those things."

"I must. I was wicked not to save up some money."

"No, you were not wicked; you were always as good as you could be. The
good God will take care of us."

"They will send us all to the almshouse."

"No, no; Leo is going to make heaps of money!" replied Maggie, though
she had not much confidence in her brother's brilliant scheme, or even
in the inventions that reposed in his active brain. "Can't you go to
sleep again, _mon pere_?"

"I will try," replied he, meekly. "I will if you go to bed, and sleep.
What should I do if you were sick?"

"I shall not be sick. I have slept enough. I will go and make you some
beef tea, and get breakfast for Leo. I shall hear you if you call."

Leo had made the fire in the cooking-stove, and in a short time the
odor of fried sausages pervaded the house; the beef tea was in course
of preparation, and the coffee was boiling on the stove. Maggie was as
busy as a bee; but every five minutes she ran into the front room, and
asked Andre if he wanted anything. She went to the front door, where
the baker had deposited half a dozen two-cent rolls, each of which was
nearly as big as one sold for five cents now.

For a girl of fifteen, Maggie was an excellent cook; indeed, she would
have been regarded as a prodigy in this respect in our day and
generation. She had acquired all her skill from Andre, whose
accomplishments were almost unlimited. When he first came to Boston, he
had boarded out; but, when Maggie was eight years old, he had taken
this house. At first he had done the housework himself, with what
little help she could give him, till now she had entirely relieved him
from any care of this kind. At this time he had taken Leo from the
almshouse, to be her companion in his absence.

Breakfast was soon ready; and Leo was called up from the workshop,
where he had already got out a portion of the stock for four small
mouse-houses, each intended to accommodate a single pair of mice. He
was still cheerful and hopeful, and went in to see A