Bill was suffering a great deal of pain when his friends arrived, but not a word of complaint escaped his lips, and some pleasant word was exchanged for every greeting.
"It'll be a hard pull to get me over the mountain, but I'll not see Farley's for many a long day if you can't hold out."
"We'll have you there, old man, an' not spend any too much breath over the job," Joe said cheerily, as he began to build a litter.
Several of the party were curious to learn why Bill had come into that out-of-the-way place, but he refused to make any explanations, and Joe pretended not to hear the many questions.
It was nearly dark before the injured man arrived at Mrs. Byram's home, and then nature had so far asserted her rights that he lay unconscious until after the physician arrived.
"I reckon I've done all that's possible," Joe said to the widow, "an' now I'll start back."
"You won't think of searching through the woods in the night."
"No; but I'll trudge over to where I found Bill, so's the hunt can be begun bright an' early. It ain't likely I'll bring Fred home till after I've seen the lawyer agin."
"If he isn't in trouble it will be better to remain away a few days longer."
"I'll answer for it that he's all right, ma'am, an it sha'n't be many hours now 'till he can hold his head up with the best of 'em."