Tom had guided her up-stairs and along a gallery, and now indicated the door of Lois's room. Lois was quite as glad to see her aunt as Tom had supposed she would be.
"Aunty!—Whatever has brought you here, to the Isles of Shoals?"
"Not to see the Isles, you may bet. I've come to look after you."
"Why, I'm well enough. But it's very good of you."
"No, it ain't, for I wanted an excuse to see what the place is like. You haven't grown thin yet. What's all the folks about, that they let you do all the nursing?"
"O, it comes to me naturally, being with Mrs. Wishart. Who should do it?"
"To be sure," said Mrs. Marx; "who should do it? Most folks are good at keepin' out o' the way when they are wanted. There's one clever chap in the house—he showed me the way up here; who's he?"
"Fair hair?"
"Yes, and curly. A handsome fellow. And he knows you."
"O, they all know me by this time."