It's Saturday.
It was so queer to be put to bed in the daytime, and Laura was so hot that everything seemed wavering. She held on to Ma’s neck while Ma was undressing her, and she begged Ma to tell her what was wrong with her. Ma told her that she would be all right and asked her not to worry. She said cheerfully. Laura crawled into bed and Ma tucked her in. It felt good to be in bed. Ma smoothed her forehead with her cool, soft hand and asked Laura to go to sleep. Laura didn’t exactly go to sleep, but she did not really wake up again for a long, long time. Strange things seemed to keep happening in a haze. She would see Pa crouching by the fire in the middle of the night, then suddenly sunshine hurt her eyes and Ma fed her broth from a spoon. Something dwindled slowly, smaller and smaller, till it was tinier than the tiniest thing. Then slowly it swelled till it was larger than anything could be. Two voices jabbered faster and faster, than a slow voice drawled more slowly than Laura could bear. There were no words, only voices. Mary was hot in the bed beside her. Mary threw off the covers, and Laura cried because she was so cold. Then she was burning up, and Pa’s hand shook the cup of water. Water spilled down her neck. The tin cup rattled against her teeth till she could hardly drink. Then Ma tucked in the covers and Ma’s hand burned against Laura’s cheek. She heard Pa ask Ma to go to bed. Ma said that he was sicker than she was. Laura opened her eyes and saw bright sunshine. Mary was sobbing that she wanted a drink of water again and again. Jack went back and forth between the big bed and the little bed. Laura saw Pa lying on the floor by the big bed. Jack pawed at Pa and whined. He took hold of Pa’s sleeve with his teeth and shook it. Pa’s head lifted up a little, and he said that he must get up and he said Ma’s name and the girls names.
