“Stop hugging Hinpoha, Gladys,” bade her mother, “and let her eat something. Those blessed children must be nearly starved.”
This was not quite true, because they had eaten the two quarts of peanuts and the half dozen lollypops originally consigned to the camp, which had saved them from starving very nicely.
The clearing wind, which had dispelled the fog, 189 came from the north and blew colder and colder as the night wore on. In the morning the Captain woke stiff and chilled and with a very sore throat. “I’m all right,” he protested when Aunt Clara came in to administer remedies, but his voice was a mere croak. Aunt Clara felt of his head and found a high fever. She promptly ordered him to stay in bed and set herself to the task of breaking up the cold. Hinpoha wandered around distracted all day.
“It was my fault, all my fault,” she wailed. “If I had only had sense enough to take my sweater he wouldn’t have made me take his coat. Is he very sick, Aunt Clara?”
By night the Captain was very much worse. He had developed a bad case of bronchitis and his breath rattled ominously.
Hinpoha, crouching anxiously at the foot of a big tree near the tent, overheard a low-voiced conversation between Uncle Teddy and Aunt Clara, who were standing in the path. “It would be pretty serious if he were to develop pneumonia out here,” said Uncle Teddy in an anxious tone.
“We’re doing our best,” said Aunt Clara, “but he’s a very sick boy. In the morning you must bring the doctor from St. Pierre.”
They passed on and Hinpoha heard no more. But her heart sank like a lump of lead. The Captain was going to have pneumonia and it was all her fault! If he died she would be a murderer. How 190 could she ever face Uncle Teddy again? She was afraid to go back with the rest, but sat crouched there under the tree almost beside herself with remorse until Aunt Clara herself found her and made her go to bed.
In the morning Uncle Teddy brought a doctor from St. Pierre who stayed on the job all day and by night announced that there was no danger of pneumonia, although the Captain had had a very narrow escape.
“Now what are you crying for?” demanded Katherine, coming upon Hinpoha all by herself in the woods.