Again Michael begged that his friend would not trouble himself, adding—
“If you have brought the shells for Nelly and will leave them with me, I will give them to her when she comes home.”
Nothing he could say, however, would induce Eban to go away. The latter had made up his mind to remain till Nelly’s return.
Still Michael was not to be turned from his purpose of doing his own work, though he could not prevent Eban from assisting him; and not till the boat was moored, and her gear deposited in the shed, would he consent to enter the cottage and seek the rest he required.
Meantime Eban, returning to his punt, shaped out a set of new tholes as he proposed, and then set off up the hill, hoping to meet Nelly and her grandmother.
He must have found them, for after some time he again came down the hill in their company, talking gaily, now to one, now to the other. He was evidently a favourite with the old woman.
Nelly thanked him with a sweet smile for the shells, which he had collected in some of the sandy little bays along the coast, which neither she nor Michael had ever been able to visit.
She was about to invite him into, the cottage, when Michael appeared at the door, saying, with a sad face—
“O granny! I am so thankful you are come; father seems very bad, and groans terribly. I never before saw him in such a way, and have not known what to do.”
Nelly on this darted in, and was soon by Paul’s bedside, followed by her grandmother.