“I don’t think they feel very well,” replied Bob, soberly.
“They don’t? Do you want me to go over to the bay and get a doctor? It won’t take an hour.”
“No physician can reach the seat of their trouble,” said Ben, solemnly. “It’s deeper than any human skill can go.”
“You don’t mean it! Perhaps I’d better wait and not ask you to hear me speak my piece to-night.”
“Oh, that won’t make any difference. Ben, here, is perfectly willing to hear you. In fact, he enjoys it; and while you are speaking, I’ll go and look up the other fellows, and see what I can do to help them.”
Bob’s evident desire to escape was all unnoticed by the unsuspecting Tom, and as soon as he was left alone with Ben, he began to speak. For a half-hour or more the camp resounded with, “Tew be or not tew be-e-e,” but no one returned to disturb the orator until the practice had been ended.
Then, as the three lads came back, Tom said, “I’m sorry, boys, that you don’t feel well. I told Bob I’d go over to the bay for a doctor, but he said you didn’t want any.”
“No physician in Alexandria Bay could prescribe for those boys when they get an attack of self-abasement. It’s a serious matter.”
“There’s one thing about it,” said Jock, “and that is, that Bob, here, isn’t likely to catch it.”