"It is absolutely essential, or we shall have the whole trouble over again.

I shall have to give him a sedative and leave him to you.

I can't possibly look in again to-night, so it will be useless to send for me.

You will have to manage as best you can." He departed, and Stella arranged to divide the night-watches with Peter the Great.

She did not privately believe that there was much ground for alarm, but in view of the doctor's very emphatic words she decided to spend the first hours by Tommy's side.