in such a sad plight. By and by the pain grew less, and the sleep
quieter. Then, as the pain became easier still, Katy woke up as it
were--began to take notice of what was going on about her; to put
questions.

"How long have I been sick?" she asked one morning.

"It is four weeks yesterday," said Papa.

"Four weeks!" said Katy. "Why, I didn't know it was so long as that. Was
I very sick, Papa?"

"Very, dear. But you are a great deal better now."

"How did I hurt me when I tumbled out of the swing?" asked Katy, who was
in an unusually wakeful mood.

"I don't believe I could make you understand, dear."

"But try, Papa!"

"Well--did you know that you had a long bone down your back,
called a spine?"

"I thought that was a disease," said Katy. "Clover said that Cousin
Helen had the spine!"

"No--the spine is a bone. It is made up of a row of smaller bones--or
knobs--and in the middle of it is a sort of rope of nerves called the
spinal cord. Nerves, you know, are the things we feel with. Well, this