"I must have got here before midnight, and the morning is just coming now."
"You're a good boy, Dick."
"That's what mother said before I left, and between the two of you I'm afraid you'll make me out way beyond what I deserve. We must get back as soon as we can, you poor old man; for she'll be crying her eyes sore with thinking we've both knocked under. Will we have a try at getting on horseback?"
"Yes; and I reckon it can be done. Lead the beast up here, and then help me on my feet—I've grown as weak as a baby, Dick."
"And I don't wonder at it. According to the looks of this sage-brush you must have lost half of all the blood you had at this time yesterday."
Now that his father was conscious once more, all Dick's reasonless terror fled, and again he was the manly fellow he had always shown himself to be.
The horse was led to Mr. Stevens's side; and Dick raised the nearly powerless body until, at the expense of most severe pain, but without sign of it by even so much as a groan, his father stood on the uninjured limb.
Fortunately the horse was too weary to make much protest at what followed; with a restive steed it would have been impossible for the boy to half lift, half push his father up until he was seated on the bag that served as saddle.
"How is it now, you poor old man? Can you hold on there a couple of hours?"
"I must, my boy; and if it so be I show signs of losing my reason again, you must contrive to lash me here, for unless this wound is attended to in better shape than it is just now, I'll go under."