At another time Mr. Pendleton would very likely have laughed, for he was a man who had tiny, humorous lines about his eyes, and the corners of his mouth more often turned up than down. So Ruth said, at least, and she was very observant.
She went forward with Agnes and stooped over the man on the ground. Agnes clung to her sister’s hand. The older boys stood back a little.
“Are you hurt?” Ruth Kenway asked softly.
“I believe I am. But I do not know how badly. I cannot move without feeling the most terrible pain in my back. I fell from that limb up there,” and he pointed up into the tree under which he lay.
“I bet he’s broken all his bones,” stated Sammy Pinkney with much confidence.
“Oh, hush!” cried Agnes pityingly.
“Sammy Pinkney!” exclaimed Tess, “you sound as though you hoped he had.”
“Well, folks do break their bones falling from trees. My mother says so.”
“That’s to keep you from climbing them,” Tess rejoined decidedly. “Of course this little girl’s father isn’t badly hurt.”
“Tess would make the best of any catastrophe,” chuckled Luke. “Let’s see if we can lift him, Neale.”