Part 11 (1/2)
”Will he get well again?”
”Yes, dear, oh yes, for certain. We must all hope for the best, you know, and we must be as brave and cheerful as we can. He's hurt a good bit, and some bones are broken, but they can't tell exactly what's wrong until they get him to hospital. Oh yes, dear, he'll get well again, and come home as right as ever he was,--only it'll be a long time first, perhaps.”
She was a capital person to have been sent to break the bad news to them, for she herself was cheerful, and hopeful, and sympathetic, in spite of the real dread at her heart. ”We were hoping you would have got home sooner,” she added. ”It seemed such a long time I had to wait for you.
He wants to see you before he starts.”
The fact of his being taken from them came home to Bella then with a rush.
”Oh, they mustn't take him away!” she cried, almost hysterically.
”Why can't they let him stay at home? We can nurse him. I know he'd rather----”
”Hus.h.!.+ hus.h.!.+” said Mrs. Carter, ”he'll hear you!” for they were nearly at their own gate by that time. ”Bella, dear, you want to do what's best for your father, don't you, and you don't want to think about yourself?
Well, he has to be where he can have good nursing, and doctors night and day, and lots of things he couldn't have at home; and if you want him to get well at all, you must bear with his being taken away from you for a bit. You mustn't mind it's being harder for you now, if it's going to be better for him later.”
”But I want to help.”
”Help! My dear, there'll be plenty of ways for you to help! More than you can reckon. I don't know, I'm sure, how,”--but Mrs. Carter broke off abruptly. She did not want to add to their trouble now.
Tom, who had been walking along silently all this time, guessed what she meant. ”We shall have plenty to do,” he said gravely, ”there'll be all of us to keep while father is away, and you and me'll have to try to do it, Bella.”
By this time they were inside the gate, and at the sight of the ambulance standing in the garden Bella nearly broke down again. Her father had already been brought out and laid in it, so they were spared that ordeal, but at the sight of his grey-white face, and closed eyes, and bandaged form, Bella almost fainted, and Tom had to clench his hands tight, to try and stop their trembling.
”He wants to speak to you,” said the nurse, beckoning to them to come forward; ”he would not go until he had seen you.”
Almost timidly they drew close to his side and leaned over him. For a moment he did not look or speak; then, very feebly, his eyelids fluttered and opened, and the pallid lips moved, but the words that came through them were so faint they could barely catch them.
”You'll look after them--till--I come back?”
”Oh yes, yes,” sobbed Bella pa.s.sionately.
”We'll take care of them, father,” said Tom, speaking very slowly and distinctly, trying hard all the time to keep his lips steady and his eyes from growing misty. ”Don't you worry, we can manage. They shan't want for anything, if we can help it. Shall they, Bella?”
”No, no! only make haste and come back, father!” wept Bella.
”G.o.d bless you both!” gasped the poor injured father. ”Now kiss me, Bella; you'll look after the little one? Tom, boy, take care of them all.”
They both promised again, as they bent down and kissed him.
”And you'll come and see me--in the hospital--Sat.u.r.days?”
”Where is it you are going?” asked Bella hurriedly; she had forgotten that in her excitement.
”To Norton,” he gasped, his strength fast failing.
Then some one led them away, and the ambulance started on its slow journey.
CHAPTER VIII.
ROCKET'S HELP IS REQUIRED.
”There will be plenty of ways for you to help.”