Part 39 (2/2)
”She tol' me the sea, hit war blue, an' I can't make hit right blue an'
soft like she said. That thar blue pencil, hit's too slick. I can't make hit stay on the papah.”
”What are these mounds here on either side of the sea?”
”Them's mountains.”
”But why did you put mountains in the sea?” The boy looked with wide eyes dreamily past the two men so attentively regarding him.
”I--I reckon I jes' put 'em thar fer to look like the sea hit war on the world. I don't guess the'd be no ocean nor no world 'thout the' war mountains fer to hold everything whar hit belongs at.”
”I shall bring you a box of paints to-morrow if the nurse will allow you to have them. I'll provide an oilcloth to spread around so he won't throw paint over your nice clean bed,” he said to the pleasant-faced young woman.
”That's all right, Doctor,” she said.
”Then you can make the blue stay on, and you can make the ocean with real water, and real blue for the sky and the sea.”
The child's eyes glowed. He pulled David down and held him with his arm about his neck, and whispered in his ear, and what he said was:--
”When they're a-pullin' on me to git my hade straight an' my back right, I jes' think 'bout the far--far-away sea, with the s.h.i.+ps a-sailin' an'
how hit look, an' hit don't hurt so much. I kin b'ar hit a heap bettah.
When you comin' back, brothah David?”
”Does it hurt you very much, Hoyle?”
”I reckon hit have to hurt,” said the child, with fatalistic resignation. ”I don't guess he'd hurt me 'thout he had to.” He released David slowly, then pulled him down again. ”Don't tell him I 'lowed hit hurted me. I reckon he'd ruthah hurt hisself if he could do me right that-a-way. You guess I--I'm goin' to git shet o' the misery some day?”
”That's what we're trying for, my brave little brother,” and the two physicians bade the small patients good-by and walked out upon the street.
CHAPTER XXIV
IN WHICH DAVID THRYNG HAS NEWS FROM ENGLAND
As they pa.s.sed down the street, David s.h.i.+vered and b.u.t.toned his light overcoat closer about him.
”Cold?” said the older man.
”Your air is a bit keen here already. I hope it will be the needed tonic for that little chap.”
”What were his s--secrets?” David told him.
”He's imaginative--yes--yes. I really would rather hurt myself. He may come on--he may. I've known--I've known--curious, but--Why--h.e.l.lo--h.e.l.lo! Why--where--” and Doctor Hoyle suddenly darted forward and shook hands with another old gentleman, who was alertly stepping toward them, also thin and wiry, but with a face as impa.s.sive as the doctor's was mobile and expressive. ”Mr. Stretton, why--why!
David--Mr. Stretton, David Thryng--”
”Ah, Mr. Thryng. I am most happy to find you here.”
”Doctor Thryng--over here on this side, you know.”
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