Part 4 (1/2)
”All right, Father”
”That's the stuff!” ejaculated Mr Croyden, as standing at the bedside ”You are a genuine Spartan, Theo”
The lad smiled feebly
”I'll try to be”
”Of course you will! You are your father's own boy”
Dr Swift stooped and touched the drawn forehead with his cool hand
”I a to leave you with Mr Croyden for a few s I need,” he said in a low tone ”Keep perfectly still and rest a little if you can There is no need for you to worry We will have you all fixed up within an hour It is a clean break--a , for we couldn't take an X-ray of it if anted to”
With these words he left the room
It was some little time before he returned, and in the meanwhile Mr Croyden sat beside Theo's bed and talked cheerily
”Nothing like traveling with your own doctor,” he re was broken I should have to hire some one in to see it, and it would cost me a pretty penny But here you are miles from a settlement with your own private physician in attendance Were you a young prince you could not beone of the best New York surgeons at your beck and call here in this wilderness You are a lucky beggar!”
Theo laughed faintly
”As for splints--here is a forest of the finest, straightest, and strongest tirander scale if you were in New York City”
Again Theo smiled
”Your father will have you co,” went on Mr Croyden, ”and you will be all ready to start back----”
”Start back!” interrupted Theo in distress ”Oh, surely, Mr Croyden, Father is not going to take me home!”
The olderwhat your father ined that you would be o There really would not beout the et about, and your father would not like to go off every day and leave you here alone in camp”
”But Father has spent all this money to come into the woods, and he has looked forward to the trip so roaned Theo ”Besides, he is very tired and needs the rest; he told me so If he takes me back home he will miss it all! He doesn't want the vacation just for his own fun, but so he can serve our country better if he is needed I don't see e couldn't stay on here just as we planned, even if I have a broken leg,” was Theo's concluding plea
”Think how stupid it would be for you to be left in the house alone”
”I shouldn't care I could find some way to ao fishi+ng just as he always does!” exclaimed Theo promptly ”You surely don't suppose I'd be so selfish as to make him stay in the house just because I had to, do you? You see”--Theo colored and then went on bravely--”this accident was my own fault Father told me the other day to let that ladder alone--and I didn't It servesIf I had been in Dad's place I'd have said: _I told you so_ But he didn't even whisper it He was just patient and kind as he always is Can't you understand now, Mr Croyden, that I ao back ho him too, and that wouldn't be fair, would it?”
”No, not fair at all,” admitted Mr Croyden slowly
”That is what I think,” nodded Theo ”You see, I auess you are”
”I did disobey”