flies were everywhere. Grandma boiled all the water, but she
could not keep out the germ-laden flies. The family took turns
lying miserably sick on an automobile-seat bed and wishing for
the end of the pea-picking.

But after the early peas, they must wait for the February peas;
and before they were picked, Jimmie complained that his throat
felt sore. Next day he and Sally both broke out with measles.

Grandma had her hands full, keeping the toddler from running out
into sunshine and rain; but it was Jimmie who really worried her,
he was so sick. And when he had stopped muttering and tossing
with fever, he woke one night with an earache.

"Mercy to us!" Grandma cried distractedly. "We ain't even got
salt enough for a hot salt bag, or carbolic and oil to drop in
his poor blessed ear!"

Indeed that night seemed to all of them like a dark cage,
shutting them away from any help for Jimmie.

Next morning, Miss Pinkerton, the nurse at the Center, came to
see Jimmie. She looked grave as she examined him. "If you
belonged in the county, I could get him into a county hospital,"
she said. "But we'll do our best for him here."


[Illustration: Nursing Jimmie]