“God is willing you should, if you will take his medicine. His medicine is cheaper than any other doctor’s, too.”
Though the doctor spoke less enthusiastically of Mrs. Willet’s condition, he spoke hopefully, and on the whole, his visit was like a ray of sunshine in itself, and from that hour Dr. Menter was fairly worshiped by the older members of Ragged Rob’s young republic.
The suggestion of a move to the old house had found a ready response among the party, so Rob was beginning to carry out the idea. But what puzzled him most was how to move Mr. Little and Mrs. Willet until Dr. Menter offered to take them there in his carriage. This was not a very difficult undertaking, and inside of an hour the removal was made complete.
“It is a sorry tenement to move into,” declared the doctor, “but it is a palace compared to those coal camps, and you can soon make it quite comfortable. There is plenty of room for all of you at present. I see you are pretty short of provisions, which brings me to my real errand in coming up here.
“Mrs. Cornhill needs help about her work, now that the deacon is down with the fever, and if one of the girls will go and work for her a few weeks she will be well paid. Help is needed, too, on the farm, so there is a chance for one of the boys. The deacon is in a hard corner financially, but he pays his help. As he is too ill to look after such matters, I will advance you enough to set up housekeeping.”
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE REBELLION AT DAWN.
Dr. Menter’s kind words brought the tears to more eyes than one among these waifs of humanity forming Ragged Rob’s young republic, but they were tears of joy surging up from emotions too deep for utterance.
“Heaven bless you!” said Mrs. Bayne, fervently. “You are very kind, Dr. Menter, and I hope that you will get your pay for it.”
“I should be less than human, my dear woman, did I not do this much, when I cannot forget that my two dear children at home owe their lives to Rob. He risked his life nobly to save them, and I will do all I can for him and his friends.”
“You said Mrs. Cornhill wanted to get a girl to help her,” said Joe, at this moment. “I will go, and the money I earn shall go toward helping make better the house here.”