g, however, at intervals in his
career, to listen whether the child were still crying; but unable
to decide, owing to the prolonged chime in his ears. It is not at
once that the drums of hearing obtain relief, after that they have
been set in vibration by acute clamor. On reaching the old maid's
door he knocked.

For some time Sally remained irresponsive.

"I knows very well," said she to herself under the bedclothes,
"it's that dratted boy who has been at the Rocliffe's."

Iver persisted in knocking. At length she appeared at the casement,
opened it, thrust forth her nightcapped head, and said peevishly,
"It ain't no manner o' use. I won't have no babies here, not to
my time o' life, thank'y. I sez I won't, and wot I sez that I
sticks to like toffee between the teeth. You may knock them there
knuckles of yorn into dimples, but open I won't. I won't. I won't."

The old woman stamped on her bedroom floor.

"I do not ask that, Sally," pleaded the boy. "I have set the baby
in Bideabout's barn, and there's no knowin', it may get hold of
the chopper and hack off its limbs, or pull down all the rick o'
broom-handles on Itself, or get smothered in the heather. I want
a lantern. I don't know how to pacify the creature, and 'tis
squeadling that terrible I don't know what's the matter."

"Is it a drawin' of the hind legs up, and stiffenin' of the back?"
asked the old maid.

"I think so," answered the boy, dubiously; then, with further
consideration, "I'm sure of it. It wriggled in my arms, like a worm
when one's gettin' it on a hook out fishing."

"That's convulsions," said Sally. "'Twill go off in one of they,
sure as eggs is eggs and ain't inions."

"Do you really say so?"

"It's that, or water on the brain. Wi' all this pouring rain, I
shouldn't wonder if 'twasn't the tother. Not, you know, that I've
any acquaintance wi babies. Only I've heard wimmin talk as has had
'em just like rabbits."

"Do they die when they have water on the brain?" asked the boy.

"Always. Babies can't stand it, no more nor can goslings gettin'
their backs wetted."

"Don't you think that perhaps it's only hunger?"

"Can't say. Has the babe been a grabbin' and a clawin' at your
nose, and a tryin' to suck it?"

"Once, Sally, when my nose got into the way."

"Then there's hunger too," said Sally, sententiously. "Them babies
has terrible apertites, like canibals, and don't know what's good
for 'em."

"Will you help me?" pleaded the b