Part 36 (1/2)
Lawrence Peabody stared.
”I don't understand you, Mr. Fletcher,” he said.
”If you have the headache, it will prevent you from going to sleep, and you remember you expressed yourself as afraid that you might. If you were quite well, I might feel rather afraid of leaving the camp in your charge. Now, I am sure you won't fall asleep.”
Mr. Peabody listened in dismay. The very plan to which he had resorted in the hope of evading duty was likely to fasten that duty upon him.
”He'll be well before night,” thought Fletcher shrewdly; and he privately imparted the joke to the rest of the party. The result was that Mr. Peabody became an object of general attention.
In half an hour the young man from Boston removed his handkerchief from his head.
”Are you feeling better, Mr. Peabody?” asked Tom.
”Very much better,” said Peabody.
”Your headache seems to pa.s.s off suddenly.”
”Yes, it always does,” said the young Bostonian. ”I am like mother in that. She had a delicate const.i.tution, just like mine. One minute she would have a headache as if her head would split open, and half an hour afterward she would feel as well as usual.”
”You are very fortunate. I was afraid your headache would make it uncomfortable for you to watch to-night.”
”Yes, it would; but, as the captain said, it would have kept me awake.
Now I don't believe I can keep from sleeping on my post.”
”Why don't you tell Fletcher so?”
”Won't you tell him, Tom? He might pay more attention to it if you told him.”
”No, Mr. Peabody. You are certainly the most suitable person to speak to him. What makes you think he would pay more attention to me, who am only a boy?”
”He seems to like you, Tom.”
”I hope he does, but really, Mr. Peabody, you must attend to your own business.”
Fletcher was at the head of the train, walking beside the first wagon.
Hearing hurried steps, he turned, and saw Mr. Lawrence Peabody, panting for breath.
”Have you got over your headache, Mr. Peabody?” he asked, with a quiet smile.
”Yes, Mr. Fletcher, it's all gone.”
”I am glad to hear it.”
”It would have kept me awake to-night, as you remarked,” said Peabody.
”Now, I am really afraid that I shall fall asleep.”
”That would be bad for you.”