Still Joseph lay tossing restlessly in an unrefreshing slumber, and knew not when his cousin Berty crept in and softly kissed his hand in token of good-by; nor when Ida, carefully wrapped up, was brought down and placed in the carriage; nor when the horses, after dancing up and down, turned their faces willingly toward home. No, he slept through it all; and, when the doctor came soon after, he pronounced his sickness to be brain fever.
[CHAPTER VIII.]
THE COUSINS.
IT was a long and tedious journey for all.
Poor little Ida slept for several hours, her head sinking more and more heavily on her mother's arm; but the lady would not consent to give up her charge to Aunt Mary, who longed to relieve her.
Then grandma was feeble, and, after riding four or five hours, began to look pale.
When Ida was awake, it required constant exertion to take her attention from herself. From a bottle of arnica and water, Mrs. Kent often renewed the cold applications; and every time she was sorry to see the eye looked more inflamed. But she tried to keep up her spirits, and told all manner of wonderful stories, which amused grandma as well as Ida.
Then papa and Aunt Mary sang a funny song they had learned in their early home; and so the hours passed until Berty called out, joyfully—
"There's our church! We're most home now, Ida. Oh, how glad I am!"
Mr. Kent stopped a moment opposite the stable to tell the man to come for the horses, and in a few minutes they drove through their own gate, up the pretty avenue to the front door.