Hal drew a long breath of pain.
"You will be the best nurse in the world, Hal;" and the doctor smiled, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder re-assuringly.
Hal winked away some tears. They lay quite too close to the surface for a man's nature.
"I'll leave her some drops, and be in again in the morning. Don't worry, my dear boy."
Granny could hardly bear to have Hal out of sight, and wanted to keep hold of his hand all the time. Dot prepared the supper, but they could taste nothing beyond a cup of tea.
"Dot," he said, "you must go up stairs and sleep in my bed to-night. I shall stay here to watch Granny."
"But it will be so—lonesome!" with her baby entreaty.
"It is best, my darling."
So Dot kissed him many times, lingering until after the clock struck ten, when Hal said,—