Rachel felt as if it would sweeten much hard service if she could tell Alspaugh outright her opinion that he was acting very calfishly; but other counsels prevailed, and she said encouragingly:
“You are only discouraged, Jacob—that's all. A few days rest here will restore both your health and your spirits.”
“No, I'm not discouraged. I'm not the kind to git down in the mouth—you know me well enough for that. I'm sick, sick I tell you—sicker'n any other man in this hospital, an' nothin' but the best o' nursin' 'll save my life for the country. O, how I wish I was at home with my mother; she'd take care o' me.”
Rachel could not repress a smile at the rememberance of Jake's termagant mother had her dirty, comfortless cottage, an how her intemperance in administering such castisement as conveyed most grief to a boy's nature first drove Jake to seek refuge with her father.
“No doubt it would be very comfortable,” she answered, “if you could get home to your mother; but there's no need of it, because you'll be well before you could possibly reach there.”
“No, I'll never be well,” persisted Jake, “unless I have the best o' care; but I feel much better now, since I find you here, for I'm sure you'll take as much interest in me as a sister would.”
She shuddered a little at the prospect of even temporary sisterly relations to the fellow, but replied guardedly:
“Of course I'll do what I can for you, Jacob,” and started to move away, but he caught her dress and whimpered:
“O, don't go, Miss Rachel; do go and leave me all alone. Stay any way till I'm fixed somehow comfortable.”
“I half believe the booby will have hysterics,” thought Rachel, with curling lip. “Is this the man they praised so for his heroism? Does all his manhood depend upon his health? Now he hasn't the spirit of a sick kitten.” Dreading a scene, however, she took her seat at the head of the cot, and gave some directions for its arrangement.