"I'm at the Dragon, and you are surely Constance?" I asked, ready to cry out.
"Yes, you know I'm Constance"; and she bent over and kissed me as if the better to reassure me.
"I've had such dreams, Constance! such terrible dreams!"
"It's nothing, Gilbert. People with fevers always have dreams," she answered, caressing my face.
"I thought I left Little Sandy with Uncle Job, and then a lot of things happened."
"Yes; but don't think of it any more. Dreams never come true, you know," she answered, placing her face beside mine.
"I won't; only I'm glad I'm in Little Sandy," I answered, lying still. When I next awoke Uncle Job and Setti were beside me, my hands clasped in theirs.
"You are better, Gilbert," Uncle Job spoke up, stopping short, as if something choked him.
"I'm all right," I answered, feeling stronger.
"You are a Little Prince, and my True Knight forever," Setti exclaimed, bending over me and taking my face in both her hands.
"I'll be anything you wish, Setti, you know," I answered, striving to answer with some spirit.
"Then I must be careful," she answered, smiling through her tears and kissing me.
"No, you mustn't," I cried, in great spirits. Then turning to Uncle Job I went on: "I'm sorry to have kept you here, uncle, but I couldn't help it. I've never been very strong, you know," I added, thinking how little a thing it took to upset me.
"I said I wanted to stay longer in Little Sandy, you remember," he replied, with a show of being cheerful.
"Men always say that, Gilbert," he answered, as if it were nothing.
"What about Aunt Jane?" I asked, fearing to speak her name.
"Oh, she will never bother you any more."
"I'm glad of that, for I dreamed she had a man who followed me everywhere, giving me no peace."
"Poor boy! but you must lie still, the doctor says, if you want to get well," he answered, turning away.
"I've a lot I want to say, Uncle Job," I cried, following him with my eyes.
"Yes, but not now, Gilbert," Constance interposed, coming to my side and laying her hand on my lips. "Your fever will surely come back if you don't keep quiet."
"I must talk, or you'll all vanish and it will turn out to be a dream, I know it will," I answered, holding tight to her hand.
"No, for it's all real. Please lie still now, Gilbert; for my sake," she whispered, bending over me.