Her brother only nodded.
"Yes, I'm going," said Gus; "and I've brought you the baby, because Mrs. Dent's asleep, and there's no one to mind him. I hope you won't find him a trouble; your father said you'd take him."
He held the baby out to Lucy as he spoke, but she had turned very white, and seemed to have lost all strength. Instead of attempting to take the baby she sank on to a chair, weak and trembling.
"Ah, I see you're not strong enough to hold him," said Gus, full of sympathy. "He is heavy; but perhaps he will lie on the rug for a bit. He'll keep quiet sometimes if you give him something to suck. A potato's as good as anything. I wish you needn't have him, but I promised your father I'd go."
"And you'd better keep that promise, and any other you've made to my father, let me tell you," said Jack significantly.
A shiver ran through Lucy's slender frame, but she controlled herself and said—
"Have you had your supper, Gus?"
"No," said the boy, looking wistfully at the well-spread table.
"You must have some then," she said quickly; "you cannot go out without having eaten."
"Give him a hunch of bread, and let him eat it as he goes along," said Jack, rising from the table as he spoke.