"Yes, sir; Ethel--Ethel has--has broken down," sobbed the little girl.

"Oh, uncle, I'm so afraid she'll die! The doctor says she's all worn out; for she has just worked, and worked, and worked from early in the morning till late at night every day but Sunday; and she can't get out of her bed now--and--and oh, I don't know what we will do, for she's the head one that directs all the rest of us."

"Ah, she should not be so wilful," remarked Mr. George Eldon grimly.

"However, you needn't fret, child; of course we, your uncles, will see that you do not come to want; that you are provided with all necessary things."

"Of course we will," said Uncle Albert, "and Ethel must do as the doctor advises--not exert herself in the least till he p.r.o.nounces her entirely recovered. I will go back with you, Blanche, see Ethel, and do what lies in my power to make her easy in body and mind. And you may feel sure that none of you will be allowed to want for anything your uncles can supply."

"Yes, that will be well," said his brother, "and tell Ethel from me that I shall be round to see her before long, probably either this evening or to-morrow morning. But she is not to stay awake expecting me," he added with a slight smile. "Come here, Blanche, and give your old uncle a kiss before you go. There," putting an arm about her as she stood at his side, and kissing her affectionately, "don't fret, little girl, while you have two uncles able and willing to provide you and the others with whatever may be needful to make you comfortable."

At that moment his son George coming in exclaimed: "Why, is this you, Blanche? I have not seen you for months; and how you have grown, child!"

and he bent down and kissed her cheek. "Why, you have been crying! Is anything wrong with you or the others?" he asked. "I hope not, I am sure. I was thinking only this morning that I must hunt you up and see how you were getting along."

"Thank you, Cousin George," returned the little girl in tremulous tones; "we were doing right nicely till--till now that Ethel has broken down because--the doctor says it is because she's been working too constantly and hard."

"Ah! why, she shouldn't do that when we're all able and willing to help her. But don't fret, little coz; she'll probably be all right in a few days, and we'll tell her she must not work so hard any more."

"You're very kind, Cousin George," returned Blanche, smiling through her tears, "and so are my uncles, but we don't like to be a burden to them when they have so many children of their own to provide for, and it has seemed very pleasant for us to be all together in a little home of our own, even though it is very plain and humble."

"Well, yes, that's a very right sort of feeling," he said, "and makes one all the more willing to help you."

"There, that must do for the present, George," said his father. "You can call round to see Ethel and the rest any time after business hours, but your uncle is going to take Blanche home now and see what is needed.

Good-by, child," taking her hand for a moment and giving her a parting caress, "and don't ever be afraid to come to your Uncle George for help when you are in trouble."

"Good-by and thank you, uncle. Good-by, Cousin George, and do come to see us," she said, and slipping her hand into that of her Uncle Albert, they went out together.

Ethel had just waked from a comfortable nap when Blanche returned bringing their Uncle Albert with her.

The interview was a pleasant one, for Mr. Eldon was very kind, sympathetic and appreciative of the efforts his young niece had put forth in order to earn a living for herself and her sisters and brother; he praised her for it, yet added: "But now you see, Ethel, that you are too young and feeble for so great an undertaking. However," noting with concern the cloud of care and disappointment his words called to her tell-tale countenance, "we will not talk any more of that to-day. Try, my dear child, just to dismiss all vexing thoughts; trust to your uncles to ward off from you, your brother, and sisters, all danger from want of means, and with a mind at ease get well and strong again as soon as possible. When you have accomplished that it will be time enough to think of those other matters."

"You are very, very kind, uncle," she returned with tears shining in her eyes. "I will try to put away anxious and vexing thoughts and trust in you--but still more in the Lord--till I'm able to work again."

"Only till you are able to work again?" he said with a slight smile.

"Really I fear my niece Ethel has some obstinacy in her nature; yet that is not altogether a bad thing; it is much to be preferred to vacillation, I think; yet young people should be willing to be guided and controlled to some extent at least by older ones who have claims to their respect and obedience."

"Yes, sir, I acknowledge that," she said with a slight sigh, "and I intend to try to obey you and Uncle George in all that I can."

"That is right," he responded with a pleased look, "and remember you have no need to be troubled with anxious cares, for your Uncle George and I will see that you and the rest are provided with all necessary things. Now I will leave you to take another nap. Good-by, dear child,"

giving her a parting kiss; "I shall be in again in a day or two to see how you are getting along. Now, Blanche," as he and his younger niece left the room together, "show me about the house and let me see how comfortable you have managed to make yourselves."

Blanche obeyed very willingly, for she was right proud of Ethel's success in making so good and comfortable a home for them all, and Uncle Albert noted and commended all that was worthy of it, and made no remarks about the defects that he perceived. He said truly that he thought they had done wonders, while at the same time he mentally resolved that if they persisted in staying there, many a comfort and convenience should be added to their slender store.

In taking leave he put some money into Blanche's hand, bidding her see that Ethel was well fed, for he was sure she needed nourishing food and rest more than anything else.

"Oh, uncle, thank you!" Blanche exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Yes, indeed, I'm sure she does, and I'll see that she has it."

At that moment Nannette came rushing in through the store, Harry following.

"Oh, Uncle Albert!" they cried at sight of him, Nannette springing forward and holding up her face for a kiss, adding, "It's such a long while that I haven't seen you, and I'm so glad you've come to see us at last."

"Ah, little one! I thought you had forgotten all about Uncle Albert," he returned, giving the caress with hearty good will. "But how you have grown! Harry also," shaking the boy's hand heartily. "Well, I am just going, but I hope we will see each other oftener in the future."

With that he was hastening toward the outer door, when seemingly struck by a second thought he turned toward them again, saying: "Harry, my boy, put down your satchel of books and come with me. I want you to act as my errand boy for once in a way."

"Do you, uncle? Oh, I'd like to," cried the boy, hastening to obey.

"It strikes me that you are growing out of your clothes, laddie," his uncle remarked, with a scrutinizing glance down at Harry as they walked briskly along the street.

"Yes, sir," Harry returned, blushing, "I can't help growing fast, and of course Ethel can't make enough money to be always buying new clothes for me. But I can stand it," he added cheerfully, "and I hope one of these days I'll be able to make enough to dress myself and all my sisters, too."

"Great expectations, my boy," his uncle said with a smile; "but if you make use of all your advantages I dare say they may be realized some day. And by the way, Harry, if you do make yourself fit for the place, I'll take you into the store one of these days, should you happen to fancy the business."

"Oh, uncle, will you?" cried the boy. "I'd like it so much, and I'll try my very best to qualify myself for it."

While this conversation was going on between Mr. Eldon and Harry, Blanche was giving Nannette a detailed account of the doings of that afternoon--her calling in of the doctor, the visit she had afterward paid to her uncles at their place of business and their Uncle Albert's call upon them, his talk with Ethel and then with herself as she conducted him over the house. Nannette listened to it all with intense interest, then, after a moment's silence, burst out:

"It's just too bad that Uncle Albert doesn't know how Ethel and I were always treated by his daughters--as if we weren't their equals; if he did he wouldn't blame Ethel for trying to make a home for us and herself.

But she couldn't tell him, of course."

"No, no, indeed! I'm sure neither Ethel nor any of the rest of us would be willing to give him the pain of knowing about it; yet it does seem right hard that for that reason we can't show him the reasonableness of our desire for a home of our very own."

"Yes," sighed Nannette, "it does seem hard, because it looks as if we were ungrateful to him for all his kindness; but maybe some day they'll feel sorry for treating us so and tell him of it themselves."

"I hope so," said Blanche, but her tone and the accompanying sigh seemed to indicate that the hope was but faint.

"I think I'll go up now to see Ethel," said Nannette. "I hope she's feeling better for uncle's visit."

"Yes, so do I," returned Blanche; "but I wouldn't go up just yet, she may be asleep; besides it's time for us to be getting supper. You'll set the table, won't you, while I make the toast and tea?"

"Yes, indeed," answered Nannette cheerfully, and they set to work.

Just as everything was ready for the meal, Harry came rushing in with a joyful little shout.

"h.e.l.lo, girls! look at me!" and he danced about the kitchen, clapping his hands and acting like one fairly wild with delight. His sisters looked up and uttered simultaneous exclamations of surprise and delight.

"O Harry, how fine--how nice you look! Why, where did you get that new suit?"

"It's a present from Uncle Albert!" exclaimed the boy half breathlessly, "coat and pants; and aren't they splendid? And this isn't all; he's given me a handsomer suit than this for Sunday. Oh, but he's a brick!

now isn't he? And see what he's bought for Ethel and the rest of us," he added, stepping to the door and bringing in a good-sized basket. "I didn't show it at first, because I wanted your undivided attention given to my clothes."

"Oh! oh! such elegant grapes and peaches and pears!" cried Nannette, peeping into the basket; "and--and what's that at the bottom?"

"Why, what do you think?" laughed Harry.

"We'll have to take it out of the basket and the paper it's wrapped in, before we can tell," replied Blanche, proceeding to lift out the fruit and place it carefully on a large dish. "Oh, birds picked and cleaned all ready for the gridiron! They must be for Ethel; and how good of uncle to buy them for her."

"He said they were for all of us," returned Harry, "that there would be enough for each of us to have one, and leave one for Ethel's breakfast; and to-morrow he's going to send us some more or something else quite as good."

"He's just as kind as he can be!" was Nannette's rejoinder, Blanche adding, "Indeed he is! I do love him and wish everybody had as good and kind an uncle."