“Lot much heavy-heavy! Twice two sheep heavy. Clear de bush!”
We hastily drew the boughs aside, and Jimmy steadily descended the steep slope, entered the rivulet, crossed, and then stopped for a moment beneath the overhanging boughs before climbing to the cabin.
“Here, let me help you!” said the doctor, holding out his hand.
“Yes,” said Jimmy, drawing his waddy and boomerang from his belt; “hold um tight, um all in black fellow way.”
Then, seizing the boughs, he balanced the wounded man carefully, and drew himself steadily up step by step, exhibiting wonderful strength of muscle, till he had climbed to the entrance of the cave, where he bent down and crawled in on hands and knees, waiting till his burden was removed from his back, and then getting up once more to look round smiling.
“Jimmy carry lot o’ men like that way!”
We laid the sufferer on one of the beds of twigs that the savages had made for us, and here the doctor set himself to work to more securely bandage his patient’s shoulder; Jack Penny looking on, resting upon his gun, and wearing a countenance full of misery.
“There!” said the doctor when he had finished. “I think he will do now. Two inches lower, Master Penny, and he would have been a dead man.”
“I couldn’t help it!” drawled Jack Penny. “I thought he was a savage coming to kill us. I’m always doing something. There never was such an unlucky chap as I am!”
“Oh, you meant what you did for the best!” said the doctor, laying his hand on Jack Penny’s shoulder.