Every ten or fifteen minutes he called Vinnie or Lill to see how the pile grew; and at last he insisted on bringing Cecie, and letting her be astonished.
Cecie was only too glad of any little diversion. She could walk with a good deal of assistance; Vinnie almost lifted the poor girl in her loving arms; Link supported her on the other side; and so they bore her to the back-room, where she leaned affectionately on Vinnie, while Link stood aside and pointed proudly at his wood-pile.
"We never could get him to bring in a stick of wood before, without teasing or scolding him," said Lill.
"This is different; there's some fun in this," said Link. "Rufe and Wad have been at work like sixty; and we wanted to see how big a pile we could make."
All praised the performance; and Mrs. Betterson so far forgot herself as to say she felt rich now, with so much nice, dry, split wood in the house.
"But what a remark," she added immediately, turning to Vinnie, "for one of our family to make!"
"I was never so proud of my brothers!" said Cecie. "If I was only well enough, how I should like to help pile up that wood!"
"Dear Cecie!" cried Vinnie, embracing her, "I wish you were well enough! And I hope you will be some time."
The wood was all disposed of that afternoon, and the boys concluded that they had had a pretty good time over it.