Part 6 (1/2)

”But it is rather nice to fancy that the swallows know about us, and that it's the same ones who come back every year. It makes them seem like friends.”

”Yes,” said Ferdy, ”it is nice. I wonder,” he went on, ”what sort of things they meant me to look at out of the window. It did rather sound, Chrissie, as if they thought I'd have to stay a long time here in bed, didn't it?”

Chrissie laughed, though a little nervously.

”How funny you are, Ferdy,” she said. ”How could the _swallows_ know, even if it had been real and not a dream? Still, we may a little fancy it is true. We could almost make a story of the window--of all the things to be seen, and all the people pa.s.sing. When you are able to be on the sofa, Ferdy, it might stand so that you would see all ways--it would really be like a watch tower.”

Ferdy raised himself a _very_ little on one elbow.

”Yes,” he said eagerly, ”I see how you mean. I do hope I may soon be on the sofa. I think I would make a plan of looking out of one side part of the day, and then out of the other side. I don't think it would be so bad to be ill if you could make plans. It's the lying all day just the same that must get so dreadfully dull.”

”Well, you need never do that,” said his sister, ”not even now. When Miss Lilly comes I'm to do a little lessons first, and then I daresay she'll come in here and read aloud to us, and when I go a walk mamma will sit with you. Things will soon get into plans.”

”If I could do some of my work,” said Ferdy, ”cutting out or painting things for my sc.r.a.pbook.”

”I daresay you soon can,” said Chrissie hopefully. She was pleased that he had not questioned her more closely as to what the doctors had said, for fortunately her cheerful talking had made him partly forget that he had made up his mind the night before to find out exactly everything she could tell him.

Suddenly Chrissie, who was standing in the window, gave a little cry.

”There is Miss Lilly,” she exclaimed. ”I am so glad. Now she has stopped to talk to somebody. Who can it be? Oh, I see, it's that naughty Jesse Piggot! I wonder why he isn't at school? She seems talking to him quite nicely. Now she's coming on again and Jesse is touching his cap. He _can_ be very polite when he likes. Shall I run and meet Miss Lilly, and bring her straight up here? No, I can't, for there's mamma going down the drive towards her. She must have seen her coming from the drawing-room window.”

”Go on,” said Ferdy. ”Tell me what they are doing. Are they shaking hands and talking to each other? I daresay they're talking about _me_.

Does Miss Lilly look sorry? P'r'aps mamma is explaining that I can't have any lessons to-day.”

”N--no,” said Chrissie, ”she's talking quite--like always, but--she's holding mamma's hand.”

”Oh,” said Ferdy with satisfaction, ”that does mean she's sorry, I'm sure. It would be nice, Chrissie, if I was lying more in the window. I could see all those int'resting things myself. I could see a good deal now if I was sitting up more,” and for a moment he startled his sister by moving as if he were going to try to raise himself in bed.

”Oh, Ferdy, you mustn't,” she cried, darting towards him.

But poor Ferdy was already quite flat on his pillow again.

”I _can't_,” he said with a sigh, ”I can't sit up the least little bit,”

and tears came into his eyes.

”Well, don't look so unhappy,” said Chrissie, returning to her post at the window, ”for they are coming in now, and mamma won't be pleased if she thinks I've let you get dull. There now, I hear them coming upstairs.”

”All right,” said Ferdy manfully, ”I'm not going to look unhappy.”

And it was quite a cheerful little face which met his mother's anxious glance as she opened the door to usher in Miss Lilly.

CHAPTER V

JESSE PIGGOT

Miss Lilly's face was cheerful too. At least so it seemed to Ferdy, for she was smiling, and immediately began speaking in a bright, quick way.

But Chrissie looked at her once or twice and ”understood.” She saw faint traces of tears having been very lately in her governess's kind eyes, and she heard a little tremble in the voice below the cheeriness. ”My dear Ferdy,” Miss Lilly was saying, ”see what comes of holidays! Much better have lessons than accidents, but it's an ill wind that blows no good. We shall have famous time now for your _favourite_ lessons--sums and--”