“What’s happened here?” he asked, as though his hasty summons, and the sight of that excited crowd outside, had aroused his curiosity greatly.
Jack thought the doctor should be told what necessity there was for his services; as such knowledge would prepare him for what must follow. Accordingly he very briefly explained, making light of what connection he and Perk had with the matter.
Thus forewarned the doctor smiled his thanks, and hastened to pass into the room where the old lady and the child were located. Some little time afterwards the doctor came out again. Perk could see from the look on his face it was not so very serious, nor was he mistaken in his diagnosis.
“A simple sprain, just as you suspected,” the physician assured them; “and he’ll be running around again inside of five days.”
He shook hands with them very earnestly, which fact caused Perk to remark, after the doctor had passed out of the door:
“Huh! it’s mighty plain to be seen, Jack, he’s smart enough to smell a rat—the grip he gimme said as he kinder guessed we had a finger in the pie. Look for yeourself, partner—he’s talkin’ to some o’ the folks out there, an’ I jest bet yeou they’re a makin’ out we done somethin’ grand. Rats! why caint a gink do a simple thing like we done without people wantin’ to gush over him? Makes me fair sick to see so much o’ the stuff wasted. Do we get a move on right away, mate?”
“Better wait up a bit until he starts back to his office,” suggested Jack, also peeping out of the window.
“Yeou said it, Jack—if we stepped eout right neow it’d look like we wanted ’em to give us a cheer—as for me I’d be glad if we could slip away by the back door, an’ give ’em the laugh. There, he’s gettin’ into his car, an’ the coast’s clear.”
Jack stepped into the other room to say goodbye to the old lady—for she did seem to be of a higher class than one would think from the humble cottage she called home—truth to tell Jack wished to have another look at that bright-faced little lad, whom he was apt to remember for a long time.
The boy had come-to, and shook hands at Jack’s request, also gave him a sweet smile.