“Max, you may take your sisters to Ion, if—” began the captain, turning his eyes on his son.
But Lulu interrupted with an earnest protest, “O papa, please don’t say we must go! I can’t bear to! I want to stay at home and nurse you!”
“So you shall, dear child; but go now and take the air for awhile.”
“Yes,” said the doctor, who was busily engaged in dressing the wounded limb; “you three may as well ride over to Ion with the news.”
“And come back as soon as you please,” added their father. “Tell Gracie not to be distressed; papa is not nearly so badly hurt as he might have been.”
“Oh, please let me stay right here beside you, papa,” pleaded Lulu.
“No, Lu,” said Dr. Conly, with mingled authority and playfulness. “I shall not allow you to be installed as nurse here, unless you hold yourself in readiness to obey orders; and I know the captain will agree with me that you must take exercise in the open air every day.”
“Certainly she must,” her father assented.
Then turning to Max, “My son, I shall have to entrust my errand to the village to you; you know what it was. Take your sisters to Ion first, then do your errand, and call for them as you come back.”
“Yes, sir; I will,” answered the lad promptly, moving toward the door as he spoke.