Christie, the King's Servant / A Sequel to Christie's Old Organ""

am. Polly opened the door, and she seemed troubled about the child. Littl

a doctor, Po

ll have to send for him in t

w life. Henceforth I was not my own. I was standing on the heavenward side of the line,

said, but was still very feverish, and would eat nothing. She brought him down before I went off

is arms to his father, and he took him on his knee by the f

octor been

ase, they said, ten miles off, but I left a message. I hope he'll come

om the shore, and the doctor had not appeared. The boy was still in his

the whistle, 'but he seems a bit better, I think, th

rs in his eyes as he gav

Duncan,' I said, for I saw that

indly, sir,'

ts and fishing tackle were put on

eave her; if anything happens to little John, whatever would me and my missus do! But the Lord kn

pneumonia, he said, and the boy must be kept in one room. He was a very silent

up in my room, in case I should be of any use. I was

ak cupboard below. What a well-worn, well-read Bible it was! I wondered if my mother's Bible had been read like that. There was his name on the title-page, 'John Duncan, from his affectionate father.' It had evidently been given to him when a

became lashed into a fury. I have never heard wind like the wind that night. It literally shrieked and moaned as it b

t be having out at se

see out into the darkness; but I could distinguish nothing w

at I heard a step on the stairs. I ope

e, Polly?

doesn't know me now, and he won't take an

re furiously every moment, and the house se

said; 'let me come and sit w

as if I dursn't be alone any longer, I'm getting that nervous, what with little John talking so

as well as on the land. Go and fetch

rying to shut it, and I had to go down to help her. She was some minutes away, for she had difficulty in rousing her neighbour, and I sat beside the unconscious child. He was talking the whole time, but I c

etty, I had again to go down t

hink of him, s

Well, perhaps it would be as well to get the doctor to

can't stand outside; me and Polly has been clinging on to the

I try,

upted each other so often, and at length both talked together in their eagerness to make it clear to me, that at the end I was more bewildered and hop

e lower room, and I found Mr. Christie and his wife and children sitting in the room where I had passed through so much the night before. Marjorie and little Jack were in th

children were so frightened by the noise of the wi

s I live. We could not speak to each other more than a few necessary words, we were simply fighting with the storm. Then, to o

wind was dead against us as we came down the cliff. It had change

t sea,' Mr. Christie said, a

out the boat

st with a groan, 'wh

make our way to the shore, to see all that it was possible to distinguish. He went home for a m

er. Oh, Mr. Christie, I am glad to see you, sir! Will you

more to cry for his father, so piteously, so beseechingly, that at last I could bear it no longer, but ran downstairs, to be out of the

s dying, Jac

stie!' I answered; 'dying b

e back!' he said; 'lo

nxious watchers on the shore. Some old fishermen were there trying to hold a telescope steady in the gale, that they might look across the water for any sign of a boat, and mothers and wives a

ale seemed to have spent its violence. We were thankful to notice, that although the sea was still very rough, and would be so for hours, the wind was gradually subsiding; instead of howling a

, and they ought to make ready for them. I was glad to notice that one by one they followed his advice, and turned to climb the hill towards their cottages. Then we t

ome, sir?' she sa

but please God th

little time, but we presently

said Polly,

shout, and to have understood its meaning, for he open

her in that short space of time. We could distinctly see the boats far out at sea, but wind and tide were with them, and they, w

last night, Bob?' said on

da two, the Susan three, the Mary Ann four, Princess Alice

ou sur

e, I saw t

m,' he said; 'catch hold of th

ee, four, five

felt that I knew which it w

the M