“Jim Huson’s been hurt; they want you at the store, quick,” Ree Kingdom breathlessly explained.
“Badly?” asked the doctor with provoking deliberation, drawing on his gloves.
“Pretty nigh killed, I guess; Big Pete Ellis did it,” put in John Jerome, amazed that the physician did not at once drive off at lightning speed.
“And they want me to finish the job do they?” smiled Dr. Cartwright, who was never known to become excited. “Well, I’ll see what I can do. Daisy, get up.”
The latter words were for the faithful mare that had drawn the doctor’s chaise, or two-wheeled carriage, summer and winter for so many years that she was as well known as the physician himself. The horse set off at a leisurely jog, but the master’s second “Get up Daisy,” though drawled out as if haste were the last thing to be thought of, quickened the animal’s speed to a lively trot.
The boys started back at a walk, speculating on what could have provoked Big Pete’s assault and how serious Jim Huson’s injury might be.
“It upsets all our plans,” said John; “for Jim was just the fellow to tell us the price of everything and just what western emigrants should take along. We can’t talk to Mr. Rice about our going, as we could talk to Jim.”
“Mr. Rice is so excitable he may have thought Huson worse hurt than he is,” Ree answered. “Anyway, we are not to start for three weeks, and Jim may be up and around long before we go. So don’t be blue. There is more than one way to skin a cat. If we can’t have Jim’s advice we can talk with some one else, or use our own judgment as to what we must buy. In the end we will have to depend entirely on ourselves as to what we should or should not do, anyway; but come what may, three weeks from this very Monday, we shall go, if we live and have our health.”
“Bully for you, Ree! In three weeks our faces will be turned toward the setting sun!”
“Our backs will be toward the rising sun in three weeks, less one day,” Ree answered. “But scamper along; let’s get back to the store and find out first how Jim was hurt and how badly. It will be a sorry job for Pete Ellis, if they catch him.”