Dr. Vale, who had been standing without the door with Harty, met the girls as they came out. He stepped back when Judy was alone, and placed some money in her hand, telling her to give it to her father, and say to him, that his children should not want for a friend while Dr. Vale was in the neighbourhood.
Judy curtseyed, and spoke her thanks as well as she was able, but they were not heard, for the doctor hurried away, and in a few moments had driven from the door.
Very little was said on the way home. As they passed an old house, with a rough, high fence about it, Harty told his sisters that this was where the people had been sick with small-pox.
Lucy clasped Rosa's hand a little closer, and they both stopped more rapidly.
"Father says nobody need be afraid, for they have all got well, and nobody took it from them," said Harty.
Notwithstanding this assurance, all the party felt more easy when the house with the high fence was out of sight.
"Let us stop here and buy the cloth for Larry's frocks," said Rosa, as they reached the village shop.
While Rosa was looking at some cheap woollen cloth, Harty was fumbling in his pockets. He drew out some marbles, an old knife, a peg-top, and some bits of string, and at last he found what he was seeking—a half-crown, with which he had intended to buy some new fishing-tackle. He gave one longing look at the money, and then handed it to Rosa, saying, "Take that for the cloth."
"Yes," said she, very quietly; but a bright, loving smile was on her face, and Harty felt, happy, although he was blushing as if he had been in mischief. Like many boys, Harty seemed to feel more ashamed when he did right than when he did wrong.
When the children were gathered round the table in the evening, Rosa brought out the old dress, and was just putting the scissors to it when Mrs. Maxwell exclaimed, "What are you doing, child? are you going to cut that dress to pieces?"