Thereupon the whole thing flashed back upon my mind in an instant.
“But how did I get here?” I inquired, puzzled at this part of the affair. “I remember now about my tumble, and seeing dad and Doctor Martin at some place in Saint George’s, with old Jake crying behind them, but I don’t recollect anything else.”
“My boy,” said my mother seriously, her lips trembling as she spoke, “you’ve had a very narrow escape from an awful death! Do you know that had you fallen on your head in the street when Prince pitched you over, nothing could have saved your life? As it was, you got your left arm broken and face cut, besides which you have been suffering from a slight concussion of the brain, Doctor Martin says. It is the latter which has made you insensible for so long a time. At one time, indeed, we all despaired of you!”
“Really!” I exclaimed, drawing a long breath of dismay at this catalogue of my injuries.
“Yes, really, Tom,” said she; “it is a wonder to me that you are now lying here in your right senses again.”
“But how did I get home, mother?” I asked, pressing my inquiries so as to learn every incident of the accident.
“Well, dear, being unconscious, and as moving you could not affect your head much, Doctor Martin thought you would recover sooner if removed to the fresh country air of Mount Pleasant than if you were allowed to remain in the stifling atmosphere of the town. So you were brought up here, borne on the very sofa on which you were placed when they picked you up after your fall, four negroes acting as your palanquin bearers.”
“Jake was one, I bet!” I here put in, interrupting her. “I am sure he wouldn’t have let anyone else carry me if he could help it.”
“Oh, yes, Jake assisted,” she said; “and I gave him a fine scolding, too, afterwards, for allowing you to ride down that hill at such a pace. It was a mercy you were not killed outright!”
“It wasn’t his fault, mother,” I interposed at this point. Really, I was not going to let poor Jake be blamed for my obstinacy! “I made Prince gallop into the town as hard as I could, in spite of all he could say, for I was anxious to get down to the wharf before the passengers had landed from the steamer. I wished to be the first to meet dad.”