John often met with these duck hunters; but as they were not always profitable companions, he avoided them, remembering that the Bible says, ‘Evil communications corrupt good manners.’
It happened, however, that being obliged to lie at anchor, to make some little repairs to his rigging, he stopped where a small river emptied itself into the bay. Two or three huts had been built to shelter the hunters; for this was a favourite resort of the wild fowl.
As John was busy splicing ropes, a man, paddling a skiff, came alongside, and hailed him with, ‘My lad, have you any medicine aboard? I wish you would let me have some for a sick man.’
‘What kind do you want?’ John inquired.
‘Well, I suppose it don’t matter much; one kind is as good as another. But perhaps you would come yourself and see our young man, he seems very bad.’
John did not hesitate; and taking a medicine chest, which he always kept with him, he jumped into the skiff, and in a few moments was at the side of the sick person.
Stretched on a hard and dirty pallet, in a damp, comfortless hovel, there lay a fine-looking youth of eighteen, raving with fever, calling continually on his father and mother to come to him.
Several young men passed through the room, but they seemed reckless and dissipated, and their noisy mirth increased the delirium of the sufferer.
John seated himself by the bed, and taking the sick man’s hand, spoke kindly to him in a gentle voice. How powerful is the force of kindness! Those calm words soothed the mind of the youth, and he remained more quiet, while John endeavoured to discover his disease. Exposure and neglect, it seemed, had brought on a fever, which threatened to be fatal. John gave him some medicine, bathed his burning temples, smoothed his pillow, and fanned him until he sank to sleep. Antonio brought from the schooner some tea which he prepared; and before night they had the satisfaction of seeing him more comfortable. It was not John’s way to do things by halves; and seeing that the poor sufferer could have no attention from his associates, and would probably die if neglected, he sent Antonio on with the vessel, while he remained with his sick charge. The remedies which he had administered soon broke the fever; and now that the patient was calm, he learned his history.
Edward Reeder had been brought up by pious parents; but falling into evil company, he had been induced to leave his father’s house, and in company with a band of reckless youths, came out in this enterprise. But now he saw his sin and folly, and how frail a dependence is the friendship of the wicked.