"How fine it looks!" cried Nelly, dancing on the doorstep, lest a
foot-print should mar the still damp floor.

"I'd almost like to fall sick for the sake of staying here," said
Tony, admiringly. "Now, what sort of beds are you going to have,
miss?"

"I suppose it won't do to put butterflies and toads and worms into
beds like the real soldiers where Will was?" answered Nelly, looking
anxious.

Tony could hardly help shouting at the idea; but, rather than trouble
his little mistress, he said Very soberly: "I'm afraid they wouldn't
lay easy, not being used to it. Tucking up a butterfly would about
kill him; the worms would be apt to get lost among the bed-clothes;
and the toads would tumble out the first thing."

"I shall have to ask mamma about it. What will you do while I'm gone?"
said Nelly, unwilling that a moment should be lost.

"I'll make frames for nettings to the windows, else the doves will
come in and eat up the sick people."

"I think they will know that it is a hospital, and be too kind to hurt
or frighten their neighbors," began Nelly; but as she spoke, a plump
white dove walked in, looked about with its red-winged eyes, and
quietly pecked up a tiny bug that had just ventured out from the crack
where it had taken refuge when the deluge came.