The man only groaned afresh.
"And Jesus has heard me and Dickie askin' Him, and He's found us such a nice home. Father, 'ull you be willin' to give us to those as is so good to us?"
"Who?" asked the man, for the first time opening his eyes.
"To me," said Jem, coming close. "I've taken 'em from old Sairy, and they shan't ever go back, if you'll say as you will let me and Meg be their guardians."
The poor dying eyes were eagerly scanning Jem's face; they returned to Cherry's as if satisfied.
"Their mother was a good woman," he said.
"So Cherry tells me. We'll do our best to teach them to be good too."
The man turned his head away as if he had done with the subject, and indeed with all earthly things. Then, just as Cherry and Jem were looking at each other in dismay, he roused himself once more.
"You may 'ave 'em," he said.
Jem signed to the nurse to draw near.