Troublesome Comforts | Page 5

Give me the big towel,
and untie Amy's frock."
"But, mother," argued Susie, "I couldn't guess he was going to be so
naughty, could I?"
"You didn't try to guess," said Tom resentfully; "and now you are
trying to make mother think you are better than me. You wouldn't hem
our sails or dig with us. We had to do something."
"And now you want me to quarrel," said Susie.--"Mother, I want to
explain."
"Hush, Susie! there is no time to explain now; you must tell me
by-and-by."
Susie flung the towel on to the floor, and felt a great lump in her throat.
Dick had to be dried and warmed, in order to stop that horrid little
croaking cough; and no one cared for her excuses or explanations.
With angry tears blinding her she ran across to the nursery, and stood
looking out at the silver line of sea and the bobbing ships. Alick was
stretching in his cradle, and it creaked under his weight. She could see
his curly head and his outstretched fat legs. He was so accustomed to
having his legs admired that he always pulled up his petticoats
solemnly to exhibit them, as though pathetically hoping to get it over

and have done with it.
Susie's ill-temper evaporated like smoke. She flung herself beside the
cradle, and hugged Alick in her arms, leaning so closely over him that
nurse, in hurrying to and fro, paused to expostulate.
"Not so close, Miss Susie, please--the child can't breathe; and I don't
want you putting any of your naughtiness into his head."
"How can I, when he can't walk?" said Susie indignantly.
"Well, I wouldn't put it beyond you," said nurse. "I know you've been
up to something, or you wouldn't be here now, looking as if butter
wouldn't melt in your mouth."
"I'm trying to be good," said Susie, still indignant.
"Well, we shan't see the result yet awhile," said nurse, "for the way
you've devil-oped these holidays is past imagining."
She always pronounced it in that way, and the word held a dreary
significance for Susie.
CHAPTER IV.
That horrid, teasing cough of Dick's got worse and worse, and by
evening he was lying patiently in his crib, with a steaming kettle
singing into the little tent of blankets that enveloped it, and a very large
and very hot linseed poultice on his chest. Susie, sitting down below,
could hear the hasty footsteps and the hoarse, croaking sound that
always filled her with panic. Their tea was brought to them by the
overworked maid, and she and Tom ate it in a depressed silence, and
then sat again on the window-sill looking silently and miserably out to
sea. By-and-by nurse came in hurriedly, with the news that baby was
crying and had to be attended to, and that she and Tom must manage to
put themselves to bed.
"I haven't time to brush your hair," nurse said regretfully; and Susie's

face lightened.
"Nurse, is Dick better?" she asked breathlessly.
"He's about as bad as I've ever seen him," nurse said shortly, and turned
to leave the room; but Susie clung desperately to her skirt.
"Don't go, nurse. Let me do something--let me hold baby."
"No, indeed, Miss Susie," said nurse; "you've done mischief enough
already. Go to bed quietly, and try to get up right foot foremost
to-morrow."
Susie went back to the window-sill, and huddled up close to Tom. With
blank eyes she looked at the stars and the moon bursting from behind
hurrying clouds. Even when she put her fingers into her ears that
rasping cough pursued her. Tom's heavy head fell against her, and she
knew he ought to be in bed; but it wanted really desperate courage to
shake him into consciousness and get him up somehow to his room.
And upstairs, next to Tom's little bed, was an empty space, from which
a crib had been hastily wheeled into the next room. On the floor beside
it lay a vest and knickerbockers, still heavy with sea water, and a red tin
pail and spade. It made Susie sick to look at them. But she got Tom at
last into his bed, and covered him up. He tried to say his prayers, but he
was too sleepy; and Susie hushed him at last, and crept away to her
own little room in the dark.
Amy was so soundly asleep that she did not even turn; but Susie could
not rest. All through the miserable hours she sat straight up in bed,
looking before her with staring eyes, and listening to the uneasy
movements next door.
It was almost morning when Amy woke at last and turned her startled
gaze on Susie's face, but what she read there drove her out of her own
bed