The doctor had assured her that the plague symptoms had spent themselves, and that he was free from the contagion.
The boys slept in the shed that night tranquilly enough, and in the morning their aunt came to them with a grave and sorrowful face.
"Is he worse ?" asked Benjamin starting up.
"Not worse, I hope, yet not better.

He has some trouble on his mind, and I fear that if we cannot ease him of that he will die," and her tears ran over, for Reuben was dear to her as a nephew, and she knew what store her brother set by his eldest son.
"Trouble! what trouble?
Are any dead at home ?" cried the boys anxiously.

"Can he speak?
has he talked to you?
Tell us all!" "He has not talked with his senses awake, but he has spoken words which have told me much.

Death is not the trouble.

He has not said one word to make me fear that our loved ones have been taken.