Peter Trawl | Page 9

to bed. I was glad to do so to get
off my wet clothes, which she hung up to dry, but I could not go to

sleep for thinking what had happened to father.
At length mother came in alone. She sat down on a chair without
speaking, and her hands dropped by her side. I could watch her as I
looked out from the small closet in which my bunk was placed. Even
since I had left her her countenance had become fearfully pale and
haggard. She shivered all over several times, but did not move from her
seat.
"Won't you get those wet duds of yours off, missus, and have some hot
tea and supper?" asked Nancy, who had been preparing it.
Mother made no reply.
"Don't take on so, missus," said Nancy, coming up to her and putting
her hand affectionately on her shoulder.
"Bless me, you're as wet as muck. I've put Peter and Mary to bed, and
you must just go too, or you'll be having the rheumatics and I don't
know what. Do go, missus, now do go."
In vain Nancy pleaded, and was still endeavouring to persuade mother
to take off her wet garments, when I at last fell asleep. When I awoke in
the morning I saw Nancy alone bustling about the room. I soon jumped
into my clothes. My first question was for father.
"He's not yet come back, Peter," she answered. "But maybe he will
before long, for the wind has fallen, and if he put into Ryde he'd have
waited till now to come across."
"Where's mother?" I next asked, not seeing her.
"Hush, Peter, don't speak loud," she said in a low tone. "She's been in a
sad taking all night, but she's quiet now, and we mustn't waken her."
On hearing this I crept about as silent as a mouse till Mary got up, and
then we sat looking at each other without speaking a word, wondering
what was going to happen, while Nancy lit the fire and got breakfast

ready. At last we heard mother call to Nancy to come to her, not
knowing that Mary and I were on foot.
"I must get up and go and look after my good man," she cried out, in a
voice strangely unlike her own. "Just help me, Nancy, will you? What
can have come over me? I feel very curious."
She tried to rise, but could not, and after making several attempts, sank
back on her bed with a groan. Mary and I now ran into her room.
"What's the matter, mother dear?" asked Mary, in a tone of alarm.
She gazed at us strangely, and groaned again.
"Missus is, I fear, taken very bad," said Nancy. "I must run for a doctor,
or she'll be getting worse. I'm sure I don't know what to do; I wish I did.
Oh dear! Oh dear!"
"Let me go," I said, eagerly. "I know where he lives and you stay and
take care of mother. I can run faster than you can in and out among the
people in the streets."
Nancy agreed, and I set off.
CHAPTER THREE.
A SAD CHAPTER IN MY LIFE.
As I ran for the doctor I felt that I was engaged in a matter of life and
death, for I had never seen mother ill before. In my anxiety for her I
almost forgot all about father. On I rushed, dodging in and out among
the workmen going to their daily toil--there were not many other
persons out at that early hour. Two or three times I heard the cry of
"Stop thief!" uttered by some small urchins for mischiefs sake, and
once an old watchman, who had overslept himself in his box, suddenly
starting out attempted to seize hold of me, fancying that he was about
to capture a burglar, but I slipped away, leaving him sprawling in the
dust and attempting to spring his rattle, and I ran on at redoubled speed,

soon getting out of his sight round a corner. At last I reached Dr Rolt's
house and rang the surgery bell as hard as I could pull. It was some
time before the door was opened by a sleepy maid-servant, who had
evidently just hurried on her clothes.
"Mother wants the doctor very badly," I exclaimed. "Ask him, please,
to come at once."
"The doctor can't come. He's away from home, in London," answered
the girl. "You'd better run on to Dr Hunt's. Maybe he'll attend on your
mother."
I asked where Dr Hunt lived. She told me. His house was some way off,
but I found it at last. Again I had to wait for the door to be opened,
when, greatly to my disappointment, the maid told me that Dr