king when so unexpectedly overtaken. Toward this place he hurried
with his unconscious burden, and rushing into the kitchen, and calling
upon the company there assembled to make way for God's sake, laid it
down on a chair before the fire.

The company, who rose in confusion on the schoolmaster's entrance, did
as people usually do under such circumstances. Everybody called for his
or her favorite remedy, which nobody brought; each cried for more air,
at the same time carefully shutting out what air there was, by closing
round the object of sympathy; and all wondered why somebody else didn't
do what it never appeared to occur to them might be done by themselves.

The landlady, however, who had more readiness and activity than any of
them, and who seemed to understand the case more quickly, soon came
running in, with a little hot medicine, followed by her servant-girl,
carrying vinegar, hartshorn, smelling-salts, and such other
restoratives; which, being duly given, helped the child so far as to
enable her to thank them in a faint voice, and to hold out her hand to
the poor schoolmaster, who stood, with an anxious face, near her side.
Without suffering her to speak another word, or so much as to stir a
finger any more, the women straightway carried her off to bed; and,
having covered her up warm, bathed her cold feet, and wrapped them in
flannel, they sent a messenger for the doctor.

The doctor, who was a red-nosed gentleman with a great bunch of seals
dangling below a waistcoat of ribbed black satin, arrived with all
speed, and taking his seat by the bedside of poor Nell, drew out his
watch, and felt her pulse. Then he looked at her tongue, then he felt
her pulse again, and while he did so, he eyed the half-emptied
wine-glass as if in profound abstraction.

"I should give her," said the doctor at length, "a teaspoonful, every
now and then, of hot medicine."

"Why, that's exactly what we've done, sir!" said the delighted landlady.

"I should also," observed the doctor, who had passed the foot-bath on
the stairs, "I should also," said the doctor, in a very wise tone of
voice, "put her feet in hot water and wrap them up in flannel. I should
likewise," said the doctor, with increased solemnity, "give her
something light for supper--the wing of a roasted chicken now------"

"Why, goodness gracious me, sir, it's cooking at the kitchen fire this
instant!" cried the landlady. And so indeed it was, for the schoolmaster
had