to Edgewood to see if somebody will help me for a few days."

"Uncle Tony! Uncle To-ny! where are you? Do give me another drink,
I'm so hot!" came the boy's voice from within.

"Coming, laddie! I don't believe he ought to drink so much water,
but what can I do? He is burning up with fever."

"Now look here, Mr. Croft," and Lydia's tone was cheerfully decisive.
"You sit down in that rocker, please, and let me command the ship for
a while. This is one of the cases where a woman is necessary. First
and foremost, what were you hunting for?"

"My hat and the butter," said Anthony meekly, and at this unique
combination they both laughed. Lyddy's laugh was particularly fresh,
childlike, and pleased; one that would have astonished the Reynolds
children. She had seldom laughed heartily since little Rufus had
cried and told her she frightened him when she twisted her face so.

"Your hat is in the wood-box, and I'll find the butter in the
twinkling of an eye, though why you want it now is more than--My
patience, Mr. Croft, your hand is burned to a blister!"

"Don't mind me. Be good enough to look at the boy and tell me what
ails him; nothing else matters much."

"I will with pleasure, but let me ease you a little first. Here's a
rag that will be just the thing," and Lyddy, suiting the pretty
action to the mendacious word, took a good handkerchief from her
pocket and tore it in three strips, after spreading it with tallow