sympathetic glances
towards Mrs. Randall, who had now left her seat, and was standing with
her back to them, looking out of the window. But after a little while
they began to talk in whispers.

"I guess mother will be back pretty soon now," said Winifred, giving
Betty's cold little hand an encouraging squeeze. "She'll be sure to come
and tell you about Jack the very first thing."

Betty said nothing, and after a little pause Winifred went on.

"Won't it be lovely when Jack gets well? Just think, he may be a soldier
after all when he grows up. You know Dr. Bell always calls him a little
soldier boy."

"He'd like to be one," said Betty, brightening at the thought; "our
grandfather was a general, you know."

"Yes, and even if he never goes to war, I think he is much braver now
than a great many real soldiers are. Father says there are not many
little boys only nine years old who would be willing to go away and
stay all by themselves in a big, strange hospital."

"Don't let's talk about that," said Betty, beginning to cry. "I can't
bear to think of his being all by himself."

"Oh, but he won't be, not really. Lulu has been to that hospital to see
the children and take them things, and she says the nurses are very
kind. One of them took care of Lulu's aunt when she broke her knee last
year, and they all liked her very much. And then, you know, Dr. Bell
goes there every day, and we shall go too, just as soon as Jack is well
enough to see us. Oh, Betty, dear, I'm sure God is going to let Jack get
well and be just like other people. I've been saying little prayers to
Him all day about it."

"So have I," said Betty, who was beginning to find Winifred's society
very cheering. "He'll be so happy if he can walk, and mother says Dr.
Bell wants us all to go to the country as soon as Jack is strong
enough."

Winifred heaved a little sigh.

"I think almost every one is going to the country pretty soon," she
said. "School closes the end of next week, and all the girls are going
away the first part of June. I shall miss them all, especially Lulu."

"Dr. Bell said they were going to the seashore the first of June."

"Yes, they're going to Navesink; Lulu says it's a lovely place. There's
the ocean, you know, and a river, where they can fish and catch crabs.
I've never seen the ocean; Aunt Estelle doesn't like sea air, so we
always went to the mountains."

"Wouldn't you like to go to Navesink too?" Betty asked.

"I should