'But Nobby?' she whispered.
'Lord brought us one, an' noo He's goin' to take back t'other,' said Adam.
The child was twisting in his father's arms in the height of his pain.
'I knaw noo why 'twas I went away thet mornin', an' Nobby got t'bump,' said Adam, looking on sadly.
The young sailor made no answer. The partial drunkenness of his first night on shore was gone, and he only held his suffering child, wiping the drops from its face. So they stood watching, and the hours went on.
'Zuhöret!' cried Adam's wife. 'Die Weihnachtsglocken!'
It was the bells, ringing out the full morning carol. The child was lying on his bed; he brightened up a little, then shut his eyes wearily, and stopped writhing. For little Nobby it that moment became true that
'Christ was born on Christmas day.'