“Ah, doctor,” he said; “back again? Parson’s a bit hard on me. I hope he hasn’t been running me down.”
“Nonsense! No. Look here, Moredock, you have always expressed a desire to serve me?”
“Yes, doctor; of course.”
“Then, look here,” said North, bending down towards the old man. “I want you to—”
He finished his speech in a low voice by the old man’s ear.
“You want what?” was the reply.
The doctor whispered to him again more earnestly than before.
The old man let the crowbar fall to his side, his jaw dropped, and he stood in a stooping position, staring.
“You want me to do that, doctor?” he whispered, with a tremble in his voice.
“Yes, I want your help in this.”