"I wouldn't either," retorted Nelly: "I'd rather have you than any girl in the whole world."
The little sick boy had sharper eyes than the nurse had. She had not seen the two children sitting on the barn-doorsteps: but the boy spied them in a minute, and said to his nurse:—
"There are a boy and a girl sitting in that barn-door. Give me my opera-glass: I want to see what they're like."
Then Nelly and Rob saw the boy lift up a round thing to his eyes, and point it at them.
"He's looking at us, Rob," said Nelly, "through that thing: I saw a gentleman have one in the cars. I shall go away: I don't want him to look at us."
"Stop!" said Rob: "he's put it down. He's talking to his nurse."
This is what the boy was saying:—
"Flora, please go across there and ask that boy to come here: I want to see him. Tell him I'm sick. I want to ask him if there are any birds here,—if he can't get me a lark."
"Now, Master Arthur," the nurse replied, "you just wait till your mamma gets up, and ask her. Perhaps she wouldn't want you to have that boy play with you."
"You go along this minute," said Arthur, beginning to cry: "if you don't I'll cry. You know the doctor said I was not to be crossed in any thing. You go along, quick! Stay! you tell them both to come here."