Even my father noticed it, when at dinner-time, with Jael's help--poor old Jael! how proud she was--John crawled downstairs.
"Why, thee art picking up, lad! Thee'lt be a man again in no time." "I hope so.

And a better man than ever I was before." "Thee might be better, and thee might be worse.

Anyhow, we couldn't do without thee, John.

Hey, Phineas! who's been meddling with my spectacles ?" The old man turned his back upon us, and busily read his newspaper upside down.
We never had a happier meal in our house than that dinner.
In the afternoon my father stayed at home--a rare thing for him to do; nay, more, he went and smoked his peaceful pipe in the garden.

John lay on an extempore sofa, made of three of our high-backed chairs and the window-sill.