"It is not snowing half as fast as it did; and look, there's a bit of
blue sky. I can go, can't I, Aunt Lucy?"

"Ye-es, if Tom is willing," Lucy said, a little doubtfully; for she
stood somewhat in awe of Tom, who did not like to harness oftener than
was necessary.

"Pho! I'll risk Tom," Grey said. "Tom knows me;" and in less than ten
minutes one of the bays was harnessed to the cutter, and Grey was
driving along in the direction of the farm-house, which, for the first
time in his life, struck him as something weird-like and dreary,
standing there alone among the rocks, with the snow piled upon the roof
and clinging in masses to the small window-panes. "I don't wonder mother
thinks it seems like some old haunted house we read about. It is just
the spot for a lively ghost. I wish I could see one," he thought, as he
drove into the side-yard, and, giving his horse to the care of the
chore-boy, Sam, who was in the barn, he went stamping into the kitchen.




CHAPTER V.

THE OLD MAN AND THE BOY.


Old Mr. Jerrold had failed rapidly within a few weeks, but as long as
possible he dressed himself every day and sat in his arm-chair in the
kitchen, for the front room was rarely used in winter. At one time, when
Hannah saw how weak her father was growing, and knew that he must soon