Silas K. Hocking

“ He had no fear, and to the onlookers it seemed easy dying. No sigh or moan escaped his lips; he lay as still as the dead.
The day waned at length and darkened into night, and Mrs. Fisher and one of the servants remained up to watch by the little invalid. It was about midnight when they observed a change come over him. The brow contracted as if in pain, the wasted fingers plucked at the clothes, and the breathing became heavy and irregular.
Mrs. Fisher ran to her husband's room, and summoned him at once to Benny's bedside. John Fisher was a kind man, and needed no second bidding. ”

“ Fisher's anxious question.
"Fear not," said the doctor; "want, exposure, and I fear also sunstroke, have done their work. Whoever the little fellow belongs to, he's had a hard time of it, and to such death should not be unwelcome."
During the next day Benny was conscious at brief intervals, but he lay so perfectly still, with half-closed eyes, that they hardly knew at times whether he was alive or dead. ”

“ Heaven seemed farther away from him than ever this morning, and earth was painfully real. He felt himself too weak to stir at first, so he lay still, occasionally opening his eyes to watch the slanting sunbeams play among the tangled foliage, and light up the dewdrops that trembled on every leaf. ”

“ Oh, aisy 'nough," said young Giles, jumping out of the cart and lifting Benny in as if he had been an infant.
"Golly," said Benny, coming out with his once favourite expression, "you're mighty strong!"
"Strong? You should see me lift a bag o' corn! Now, Dobbin, " to the horse. "Gee, meth-a-way," and the horse moved on at what seemed a stereotyped pace. ”

“ Benny looked up and saw a shock-headed, overgrown lad, standing in what seemed an empty cart, staring at him with a look of wonder in his great round eyes.
Benny had reached a stage of exhaustion which made him indifferent to almost everything, so he only blinked at the boy, and then dropped his head again on the grass.
"Art a tired?" ”