"Why, I been savin' 'em for you."
"Then it's a go!"
"One t'ing you do for me, eh?" 'Poleon hesitated momentarily. "It's goin' tak' tam for fin' dam' fool to he'p me row dat bateau, but—I fin' him. Mebbe you set up wit' li'l seeck gal while I'm gone. What?" In a few words he made known the condition of affairs at his camp, and the old men agreed readily enough. With undisguised relief they clambered stiffly out of their boat and followed the French Canadian up the trail. As they toiled up the slope 'Poleon explained:
"De doctor he's go to Dawson, an' t'ree day dis gal been layin' seeck—crazee in de head. Every hour medicine, all de tam fire in de stove! Sapre! I'm half 'sleep."
"We'll set up with her as long as you want," Tom volunteered. "Being a family man myself, I'm a regular nurse."
"Me, too," Jerry exclaimed. "I never had no family, but I allus been handy around hosses, and hosses is the same as people, only bigger—"
Mr. Linton stifled a laugh at this remark. "That'll show you!" said he.
"You leave it to me, Jerry."
"Well, ain't they?"
"No."
"They are, too."