Part 9 (2/2)
”I'll steer; then we can go ahead,” said the boy jerkily He had not got over his fright yet, and was tre into their places, Katherine and the stranger took the oars Miles edged the well to the bank, they began their progress up river
”Mrs Jenkin is beckoning Will you go across?” asked Miles
”No,” Katherine answered with prompt decision ”The force of the current is fearful, and we have faced enough risks for one day Besides, it is of no use; ant dry garh clothes for herself, so I aarentleer, seeing her e to relieve it
”Thank you!”into her cheeks which led condition Then she went on: ”I think it will be better for you to coe, because then we can lend you some of Father's clothes: he is tall, and they will about fit you, I should think; and it is so very difficult to get what one wants at Seal Cove”
”That I have already proved But it was very kind of you to coer said, with a sudden thrill of feeling in his voice
Katherine flushed ht it was Oily Dave ere trying to save,” she said, with a faint ripple of laughter ”And Miles said he wasn't worth it, only of course we had to do the best we could Are you the Englisho?”
”Yes,” he answered ”And it was the four hundred h I a done it”
”I aht to be proud of such a feat,” Katherine answered; and then they did not sayharder every minute, and she wondered ould have happened if there had been only Miles and herself to e the boat, for certainly the arth which Miles did not possess, yet in spite of this it was ascurrent
The danger ca boats, some of which were anchored so close in to the banks that they had to get out in the open river to pass the still from excitement and exhaustion; moreover, she was er as sitting behind It was horrible to be wet, dirty, and thoroughly bedraggled, but it was still ht under the eyes of a strange entleman But they were very nearly at the end of the journey The roar of the rapids was in their ears, and Katherine was thinking with a sigh of relief that she would soon be able to rest her aching arms
Suddenly Miles leant forward and spoke ”I' at ho as white as chalk He beckoned to us to hurry, and now he has rushed back again”
”Father! Perhaps he is not so well,” exclai at her heart Then she thought with a swift co home, and wondered if her father would resent the intrusion
But Phil had run out again just as the boat grounded against the bank, and now he began shouting: ”Oh, do come quick; Father is dreadfully ill, and Nellie does not knohat to do with hio first; the boy will helpKatherine out of the boat
She landed with a bound and tried to run, but her water-logged gar so closely about her that she could only walk, and the few steps to the door seemed like a mile
”Nellie says it is a stroke, and she is afraid Father is dying,” sobbed Phil, as running to and fro in a distracted fashi+on
A faint cry broke froht at the doorpost to save herself Yet even in that moment she realized that this was only what she had been expecting every tih But to-day found her so shaken and unfit for strain that it was not wonderful she broke down, feeling that this last disaster was too great to be borne A round under her feet seehtened wailing of Beth and Lotta reached her ears, and steadied her nerves to htened they ain, crossing the store and entering the kitchen
'Duke Radford lay on the floor Doubtless he had fallen so, and Mrs Burton had been unable to lift hi laid over hi still, otherwise Katherine would have believed him already dead
”Oh, Nellie, this is dreadful! Whatever shall we do?” she cried, her voice sharp with pain
”If only we could get a doctor I wouldn't mind so much,” sobbed Mrs Burton ”But that is an impossibility”
”I a her father's face with her finger, and wondering if he were as unconscious as he looked
Then she felt herself gently thrust to one side, and the voice of Jervis Ferrars said quietly: ”Go and get into dry clothes as quickly as you can, Miss Radford You can do your Father no iood, but youI a, and I can do all that can be done in this case”
”Oh, how thankful we are to have you here!” said Mrs Burton, who felt as if the wet unknoas shedding pools of dirty water on to her clean floor, was an angel sent straight from heaven to help her in her time of need