It would take them perhaps two full hours going that distance with the injured boy, because great care would be required in picking the easiest way. Of course the return journey would be made in half that time.
Altogether three hours might elapse, even with the best of luck, before the main body of scouts could be expected back; and Billy had been told that they would depend on him to get supper started.
It was fine to see how very careful the litter bearers were as they pushed along the back trail. One would go ahead to lead the way, and so avoid any unusually rough places as much as possible. Every boy looked well to his footing, since any sort of jolt, such as would accompany a stumble, was apt to cause Walter unnecessary pain.
Their progress was necessarily somewhat slow. Tom said that was one of the times when it paid to be sure rather than to try to make speed. And from the fact that not once did they cause poor Walter to give a groan it could be seen that these careful litter-bearers fulfilled their duty fully as well as Red Cross or hospital attendants could have done.
The two hours and more had passed before they came to the house at which Mr. Witherspoon had remembered seeing a car. It turned out that the man who lived there was doing so for his health. He wanted to be in a quiet place on account of shattered nerves.
When he learned what had happened he told them he would gladly take the injured scout to his home, and that there was room also for Mr. Witherspoon, whom he would bring back with him again.
The splendid manner in which the scouts had managed, both with regard to doing up the fractured limb, and in making that litter, excited the man’s admiration; and he felt that he could not do too much for those self-reliant lads.
“Such work should be encouraged by every right-thinking man or woman,” he told them; “and after you’ve all had a cup of hot coffee, which my wife is getting ready right now, we’ll be off.”
Of course all of them were feeling much more cheerful, now that they knew the hike would not have to be abandoned on account of this accident. Some of the boys had begun to fear this would be the result.
“When I get back here from town,” Mr. Witherspoon told them, “it is apt to be late, and I’ll be too tired to try that three miles over rough ground. So I’ve made arrangements to stay here over-night with our good friends. In the morning after breakfast I’ll start off along the trail for the camp. Of course it would be nice if several of you met me half way there.”