Mable gave a small nod at Nettie's words, though they didn't do much to comfort her.  Who knew if Father was ever going to come back?  She couldn't even remember the last thing she'd said to him.  Did he remember?  What if he forgot about her completely?

Francis brought her out of her spiral, and Mable took the paper he was holding.  It was a picture of her and Edmund and a boat.  She waved her hand, "you can keep that one.  I don't really like it that much and - see this person here?  That's Edmund, so you should keep it so you can remember what he looks like while we're gone."