Nobody

"I don't know. She is nervous, and feverish, and does not seem to getwell as she ought to do."

"Well, if I was going to get sick, I'd choose some other place than arock out in the middle of the ocean. Seems to me I would. One neverknows what one may be left to do."

"One cannot generally choose where one will be sick," said Lois, smiling.

"Yes, you can," said the other, as sharp as a needle. "If one's in thewrong place, one can keep up till one can get to the right one. Youneedn't tell me. I know it, and I've done it. I've held up when Ihadn't feet to stand upon, nor a head to hold. If you're a mind to, youcan. Nervous, eh? That's the trouble o' folks that haven't enough todo. Mercy! I don't wonder they get nervous. But you've had a little toomuch, Lois, and you show it. Now, you go and lie down. I'll look afterthe nerves."

"How are they all at home?"

"Splendid! Charity goes round like a bee in a bottle, as usual. Ma'swell; and Madge is as handsome as ever. Garden's growin' up to weeds, and I don't see as there's anybody to help it; but that corner peachtree's ripe, and as good as if you had fifteen gardeners."

"It's time I was home!" said Lois, sighing.

"No, it ain't, – not if you're havin' a good time here. Are you havin'a good time?"

"Why, I've been doing nothing but take care of Mrs. Wishart for thisweek past."

"Well, now I'm here. You go off. Do you like this queer place, I wantto know?"

"Aunty, it is just perfectly delightful!"

"Is it? I don't see it. Maybe I will by and by. Now go off, Lois."

Mrs. Marx from this time took upon herself the post of head nurse. Loiswas free to go out as much as she pleased. Yet she made less use ofthis freedom than might have been expected, and still confined herselfunnecessarily to the sick-room.

"Why don't you go?" her aunt remonstrated. "Seems to me you ain't sodreadful fond of the Isles of Shoals after all."

"If one could be alone!" sighed Lois; "but there is always a pack at myheels."

"Alone! Is that what you're after? I thought half the fun was to seethe folks."

"Well, some of them," said Lois. "But as sure as I go out to have agood time with the rocks and the sea, as I like to have it, there comesfirst one and then another and then another, and maybe a fourth; andthe game is up."

"Why? I don't see how they should spoil it."

"O, they do not care for the things I care for; the sea is nothing tothem, and the rocks less than nothing; and instead of being quiet, theytalk nonsense, or what seems nonsense to me; and I'd as lieve be athome."

"What do they go for then?"

"I don't know. I think they do not know what to do with themselves."

"What do they stay here for, then, for pity's sake? If they are tired, why don't they go away?"

"I can't tell. That is what I have asked myself a great many times.

They are all as well as fishes, every one of them."

Mrs. Marx held her peace and let things go their train for a few daysmore. Mrs. Wishart still gave her and Lois a good deal to do, thoughher ailments aroused no anxiety. After those few days, Mrs. Marx spokeagain.

"What keeps you so mum?" she said to Lois. "Why don't you talk, asother folks do?"

"I hardly see them, you know, except at meals."

"Why don't you talk at meal times? that's what I am askin' about. Youcan talk as well as anybody; and you sit as mum as a stick."

"Aunty, they all talk about things I do not understand."

"Then I'd talk of something they don't understand. Two can play atthat game."

"It wouldn't be amusing," said Lois, laughing.

"Do you call their talk amusing? It's the stupidest stuff I ever didhear. I can't make head or tail of it; nor I don't believe they can.Sounds to me as if they were tryin' amazin' hard to be witty, andcouldn't make it out."

"It sounds a good deal like that," Lois assented.

"They go on just as if you wasn't there!"

"And why shouldn't they?"

"Because you are there."

"I am nothing to them," said Lois quietly.

"Nothing to them! You are worth the whole lot."

"They do not think so."

"And politeness is politeness."

"I sometimes think," said Lois, "that politeness is rudeness."

"Well, I wouldn't let myself be put in a corner so, if I was you."

"But I am in a corner, to them. All the world is where they live; and

I live in a little corner down by Shampuashuh."

"Nobody's big enough to live in more than a corner – if you come tothat; and one corner's as good as another. That's nonsense, Lois."

"Maybe, aunty. But there is a certain knowledge of the world, and habitof the world, which makes some people very different from other people; you can't help that."

"I don't want to help it?" said Mrs. Marx. "I wouldn't have you likethem, for all the black sheep in my flock."

CHAPTER XVI

MRS. MARX'S OPINION

A few more days went by; and then Mrs. Wishart began to mend; so muchthat she insisted her friends must not shut themselves up with her. "Dogo down-stairs and see the people!" she said; "or take your kind aunt,Lois, and show her the wonders of Appledore. Is all the world gone yet?"