at's one good
thing!"

"Yes," admitted Elsie.

"And it's nice that you can be all around, instead of having to
lie abed," Polly went on, hunting for happy birthday accompaniments.

"Bet you 't is!" smiled Elsie. "Ying' a-bed ain't much fun,
'specially when you ache anywhere."

"If Miss Lucy was here, maybe she'd have a cake for you," put in
Leonora.

"But she ain't," responded Cornelius unnecessarily.

"She ain't," echoed Otto Kriloff, his face reflecting his
thought.

"When do you s'pose she'll come back?" queried Maggie O'Donnell.

NOby could answer.

"Maybe she never will," said Elsie gloomily,--"anyway till we
all get gone."

"Oh, Elsie!" protested Polly.

"Well," was the outing retort, "if High Price stays here much
longer--"

"She!" hushed Cornelius, "she's comin'!" For light steps
sounded along the corridor.

The children cast furtive, half-frightened glances towards the
hall door; but it was not Miss Hortensia Price that smilingly
opened it.

"Miss Lucy! Miss Lucy!" they shouted; and with a rush they were
upon her, embracing, pulling, squeezing, until she dropped into a
chair, laughing and breathless.

"Have yer come to stay?" queried Maggie anxiously.

"For the present," she nodded.

A big, squealing, "O-o-h!" of joy rang through the ward, while
Polly silently clung to one hand, as if she would never let it go.

"What's all this rumpus about?" came growlingly from the
entrance; and the children turned to see Dr. Dudley surveying
them, his eyes a-twinkle with fun.

Polly giggled. The rest looked a bit disconcerted.

"Accept my congratulations," he said, extending his hand to the
nurse.

Polly reluctantly relinquished her hold of Muss Lucy, that the
physician's greeting might be properly responded to, while the
young lady blushed with pleasure.

"I'm jealous," the Doctor went on, looking around on the little
group. "You never make such a fuss over me when I come."

"Do you want us to?" ventured Cornelius.

The Doctor laughed. "Well," he responded, "I'll excuse you from
giving me such an ovation every day. How is that back of yours,
Cornelius?" And he proceeded on his accustomed rounds.

One by one the children sidled back to Miss Lucy.

"It's my birthday to-day," announced Elsie, proceeding with her
usual information regarding the home birthday cakes.

The nurse received the news with all the interest that any little
girl could desire, even going so far as to "wonder" if