Part 13 (1/2)

”No!” interrupted Ralph quickly, ”not that, doctor--that is, anyway not yet.”

”He needs skillful attention.”

”He's needing some hash just now!” put in Will Cheever, approaching, his face, despite himself, on a grin. ”Hear him!”

The stranger was certainly sticking to his point. ”Hash with lots of onions in it!” they heard him call out.

”Will it hurt him to eat, doctor?” inquired Ralph.

”Not a bit of it. In fact, except to feed him and watch, I don't see that he needs anything. You can't splint a brain shock as you can a broken finger, or poultice a skull depression as you would a bruise.

There's simply something mental gone out of the boy's life that science cannot put in again. There is this hope, though: that when the physical shock has fully pa.s.sed, something may develop for the better.”

”You mean to-day, to-morrow----”

”Oh, no--weeks, maybe months.”

Ralph looked disheartened, but the next moment his face took upon it a look of resolution always adopted when he fully made up his mind to anything.

”Very well,” he said, ”he must be taken to our house.”

With the doctor Ralph was a rare favorite, and his face showed that he read and appreciated the kindly spirit that prompted the young railroader's action. He placed his hand in a friendly way on his shoulder.

”Fairbanks,” he said, ”you're a good kind, and do credit to yourself, but I fear you are in no shape to take such a burden on your young shoulders.”

”It is my burden,” said Ralph firmly, ”whose else's? Why, doctor! if I let that poor fellow go to the hospital, among utter strangers, handed down the line you don't know where--poorhouse, asylum, and pauper's grave maybe, it would haunt me! No, I feel I am responsible for his condition, and I intend to take care of him, at least until something better for him turns up. Help me, boys.”

”I'll drop in to see him again, at your house,” said the doctor. ”I don't think he will make you any trouble in the way of violence, or that, but you had better keep a constant eye on him.”

Ralph thought a good deal on the way to the cottage. He felt that he was doing the right thing, and knew that his mother would not demur to the arrangements he had formulated.

Mrs. Fairbanks not only did not demur, but when she was made aware of the particulars, sustained Ralph in his resolution.

”Poor fellow!” she said sympathetically. ”The first thing he needs is a warm bath, and we might find some dry clothes for him, Ralph.”

The widow bustled about to do her share in making the unexpected guest comfortable. Will Cheever and his companion felt in duty bound to lend a helping hand to Ralph.

They had put the cot in the middle of the kitchen, and quiet now, but with wide-open eyes, its occupant watched them as they hurriedly got out a tub and put some water to heat on the cook stove.

”Swim,” said the stranger, only once, and was content thereafter to watch operations silently.

”He's got dandy muscles--built like a giant!” commented Will, as half an hour later they carried the boy into the neat, cool sitting room, and lodged him among cus.h.i.+ons in an easy-chair.

Meantime, Mrs. Fairbanks had not been idle. She had prepared an appetizing lunch. The stranger looked supremely happy as Ralph appeared with a tray of viands. He ate with the zest of a growing, healthy boy, and when he had ended sank back among the cus.h.i.+ons and fell into a calm, profound sleep.

”Ralph Fairbanks, you're a brick!” said Will. ”He don't look much like the half-drowned, half-starved rat he was when you picked him up.”

”Knocked him down, you mean!” said Ralph, with a sigh. ”Well, mother, we'll do what we can for him.”

”We will do for him just what I pray some one might do for my boy, should such misfortune ever become his lot,” said the widow tremulously.