Bad Hugh

Throwing his arms wildly over his head, he raised himself in bed, and

exclaimed joyfully: "That's he! that's Rocket! I knew he'd come. I've only been waiting for

him to start on that long journey. Ho! Aunt Eunice! Pack my clothes. I'm

going away, where I shan't mortify Ad any more. Hurry up. Rocket is

growing impatient. Don't you hear him pawing the turf? I'm coming, my

boy, I'm coming!" and he attempted to leap upon the floor, but the

doctor's strong arm held him down, while Alice, whose voice alone he

heeded, strove to quiet him.

"I wouldn't go away to-day," she said soothingly. "Some other time will

do as well, and Rocket can wait."

"Will you stay with me?" Hugh asked.

"Yes, I'll stay," was Alice's reply.

"I'm glad he's roused up," the doctor said, "though I don't like the way

his fever increases," and Alice knew by the expression of his face that

there was but little hope, determining not to leave him during the

night.

Densie or Aunt Eunice might sleep on the lounge, she said, but the care,

the responsibility shall be hers. To this the doctor willingly acceded,

thinking that Hugh was safer with her than any one else. Exchanging the

white wrapper she had worn through the day for one more suitable, Alice,

after an hour's rest in her own room, returned to Hugh, who had missed

her sadly, and who knew the moment she came back to him, even though his

eyes were closed, and he seemed to be half asleep.

"Mas'r Hugh won't die," and Muuggins' faith came to the rescue, throwing

a ray of hope into the darkness. "Miss Alice axed God to spar' him, and

so did I; now He will, won't He, miss?" and she turned to Adah, who,

with Sam, had just come up to Spring Bank, and hearing voices in the

kitchen had entered there first. "Say, Miss Adah, won't God cure Mas'r

Hugh--'ca'se I axed Him oncet?"

"You must pray more than once, child; pray many, many times," was Adah's

reply; whereupon Mug looked aghast, for the idea of praying a second

time had never entered her brain.

Still, if she must, why, she must, and she stole quietly from the

kitchen. But it was now too dark to go down in the woods by the running

brook, and remembering Alice had said that God was everywhere, she first

cast around her a timid glance, as if fearful she should see Him, and

then kneeling in the grass, wet with the heavy night dew, the little

negro girl prayed again for Master Hugh, starting as she prayed at the

sound which met her ear, and which came from the spot where Rocket still

was standing by the block, waiting for his master.