she did with them I will not
say; but in a little while Dolly had a most savoury mess prepared. Then
she crept upstairs to her mother. Here everything was just as it had
been all night. Dolly whispered to her mother to come down and have
some breakfast. Mrs. Copley shook her head.

"You must, mother, dear. I have got something nice--and father is
sleeping; he don't want you. Come! I have got it in the kitchen, for
Nelly is away, and it's less trouble, and keeps the coffee hot. Come!
father won't want anything for a little while, and you and I do, and
must have it, or we cannot stand what is on our hands. Come, mother.
Wash your face, and it will refresh you, and come right down."

The little kitchen was very neat; the window was open and the summer
morning looking in; nobody was there but themselves; and so there might
be many a worse place to take breakfast in. And the meal prepared was
dainty, though simple. Mrs. Copley could not eat much, nor Dolly; and
yet the form of coming to breakfast and the nicety of the preparation
were a comfort; they always are; they seem to say that all things are
not confusion, and give a kind of guaranty for the continuance of old
ways. Still, Mrs. Copley did not eat much, and soon went back to her
watch; and Dolly cleared the table and considered what she could have
for dinner. For dinner must be as usual; on that she was determined.
But the doctor's coming was the next thing on the programme.

The doctor came and made his visit, and Dolly met him in the hall as he
was going away. He was a comfortable-looking man, with the long English
whiskers; ruddy and fleshy; one who, Dolly was sure, had no objection,
for his own part, to a good glass of wine, or even a good measure of
beer, if the wine were not forthcoming.

"Your father, is it?" said the doctor. "Well, take care of him--take
care of him."

"How shall we take care of him, sir?"

"Well, I've left medicines upstairs. He won't want much to eat; nor
much of anything, for a day or two."

"What is it? Cold?"

"No, my young lady. Fever."

"He got himself wet in the rain, a few days ago. He was shivering last
night."

"Very likely. That's fever. Must take its course. He's not shivering
now."

"Will he be long ill, sir, probably?"

"Impossible to say. These things are not to be counted upon. May get up
in a day or two, but far more likely not in a week or two. Good
morning!"

A week or two! Dolly stood and looked after the