As Captain Rhines came up, the blood was spirting in jets from Fred’s right leg. “God o’ mercy!” cried he, “the arter is cut;” and, clapping his thumb on the place, stopped the flow of blood in a moment.
“John,” cried he, “take off my garter and put it twice round his leg, above the bite, and tie the ends together.”
John did as he was directed.
“Now get a stick and twist it.”
John twisted.
“Twist harder; twist with all your might. Now run to Dr. Ricker’s, and tell him to come to our house with tools to tie an arter, as quick as he can.”
“Will he die, father?”
“No; I hope not; but he would have been dead in two minutes more, if I had not stopped that blood.”
He now took the boy in his arms, and carried him to his own house, while Tige lay down at the foot of the willow to keep watch of Smike.
The doctor said that the boy must not be moved; and his mother came to take care of him. John now went down, called off Tige, and liberated Smike from the tree.