Chapter Four A FEW LITTLE UPSETS
　　GEORGE read the letter out loud. It was not very long, and had evidently been written in a greathurry.
　　DEAR GEORGE,
　　Your mother has been taken very ill. I am going with her to the hospital. I shall not leave her till sheis getting better. That may be in a few days' time, or in a week's time. I will telephone you each day atnine o'clock in the morning to tell you how she is. Mrs. Stick will look after you all. Try to manageall right till I come back.
　　Your loving
　　FATHER
　　"Oh dear!" said Anne, knowing how dreadful George must feel. George loved her mother dearly, andfor once in a way the girl had tears in her eyes. George never cried - but it was terrible to come homeand find her mother gone like this. And Father too! No one there but Mrs. Stick and Edgar.
　　"I can't bear Mother going like this," sobbed¹ George suddenly, and buried her head in a cushion.
　　"She - she might never come back."
　　"Don't be silly, George," said Julian, sitting down and putting his arm round her. "Of course she will.
　　Why shouldn't she? Didn't your father say he was staying with her till she was getting better- and that would be probably in a few days" time, Cheer up, George! It isn't like you to give way likethis."
　　"But I didn't say good-bye," sobbed poor George. "And I made her ask Mrs. Stick for the sandwiches,instead of me. I want to go and find Mother and see how she is myself.""You don't know where they've taken her, and if you did, they wouldn't let you in," said Dick, gently.
　　"Let's have some tea. We shall all feel better after that.""I couldn't eat anything," said George, fiercely. Timothy pushed his nose into her hands, and tried tolick them. They were under her buried face. The dog whined³ a little.
　　"Poor Timmy! He can't understand," said Anne. "He's awfully⁴ upset because you are unhappy,George."
　　16
　　That made George sit up. She rubbed her hands over her eyes, and let Timmy lick the wet tears offthem. He looked surprised at the salty taste. He tried to get on to George's knee.
　　"Silly Timmy!" said George, in a more ordinary voice. "Don't be upset. I just got a shock, that's all!
　　I'm better now, Timmy. Don't

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