Jem and his mother watched by her side till the clock in the other room struck twelve, and then Mrs. Seymour signed to him to go and take some rest.
But though not a word had been spoken nor a movement made, Meg started up.
"There it is again!"
"What, my dear?" asked Mrs. Seymour soothingly. "Lie down, and I'll see to it."
But Meg could not be silenced so.
"Jem," she urged, doing, however, as her mother wished, "Jem, you said you'd go and see about it. Oh, Jem dear, my heart will break!"
"I will, Meg," he answered at once. "You're bein' so ill put it out of my head. I'll go at once."
He rose, and his mother followed him out of the room.
"I think she's a bit light-headed, Jem; don't go out, my dear. What does she mean?"
"I know," answered Jem hurriedly. "Let me go, mother; I ought to have been there ever so long ago."