from the next room.

"That child's voice is growing hoarse. I must go and look into this
business," thought she.

She knocked at the children's door.

"I came to ask if I can do anything for you, young ladies."

Mrs. Fixfax had heard a great deal of the play, and had been in a state
of amusement all day, without seeing the actors; and when she caught
sight of them now, she had to twist her mouth very hard, "to keep her
teeth in."

The magnificent Lady Magnifico, the ridiculous Dr. Moonshine, and the
becapped Mother Hubbard, all replied in chorus, "O, yes'm, we were going
to ring for you. Do you see what ails the baby."

Mrs. Fixfax approached the child in such a tender, motherly way, that
Horace was ashamed of having compared her face to "a platter of cold
hash." She had a strong, sensible look, as if she were capable of
carrying a whole hospital full of children through all sorts of
diseases; and Prudy and Horace, who had begun to have an unpleasant
feeling of responsibility, were greatly relieved.

"You don't think it's anything but a cold--do you, Mrs. Fixfax? I don't
know much about sickness."

Mrs. Fixfax allowed herself to smile this time, as her eye rested on the
Mother Hubbard cap.

"No, I don't see anything alarming yet. If this was my child, I should
just gargle her throat with salt and water, wrap a pork rind round her
neck, and put her to bed."

Fly objected to nothing, if she could only sleep with her own brother
Hollis. When told she might do so, she tried to clap her hands; but her
heart was heavy, and her throat was sore; so all she could do was to
kiss him and cry.

"And now, my dears, how do you enjoy housekeeping?" asked Mrs. Fixfax,
carelessly, as she attended to Fly's throat.

"No--ot very much," returned Dr. Moonshine, faintly; for no one else
seemed ready to speak. "Rather hard on the head of the family. Don't you
say so, Prue?"

But Prudy could not answer, on account of a throbbing at the roots of
her tongue.

"I see you have been taking an early dinner," contined Mrs. Fixfax, very
coolly, as if she had no idea the children before her were half starved.

"Ye--es'm."

"So, perhaps you wouldn't object to going down and finishing off on
roast turkey? I ordered the table set for you."

"You did? O, thank you, ma'am!" cried Lady Magnifico, ready to throw
herself on the housekeeper's neck.

"I never object to roast turkey myself," said the doctor, his eyes
gleaming with delight