Upon that Hugh opened his little medicine kit, and taking out a phial proceeded to fix up a remedy which he knew was excellent for cramps and indigestion. It would do no harm, that he knew for a fact, and there was a fair chance of its taking effect. It certainly pleased the anxious mother, and she went away with a satisfied look on her swarthy face.
“If that ambulance does come along,” said Hugh, with a whimsical look at his fellow-worker, “we’ll get the doctor to take a look at the child so as to make a sure thing of it.”
“No need,” sang out Billy, blithely; “it began getting better right away after its maw got it to take that remedy. Why, you fellows must be wizards, that’s what. Whenever I get sick again, I’m going to insist on having you attend me. And that’s praise not many doctors ever get, let me tell you.”
An hour had gone by since Ralph returned with the news that he had heard the telegraph operator at the station send the message to Farmingdale. Still there was no sign of anything happening, nor for that matter had the authorities of the county taken a hand in the matter.
The guards still walked the platform back of the heavy stockade, and the sunlight glinted from the polished barrels of their guns as they moved to and fro. In the foreign settlement there were more or less ominous gatherings, and the scouts began to grow a little uneasy when they saw how furious the men were becoming under the lash of the tongues of the women.
“There’ll be more trouble around here before long unless the right kind of officers are sent to keep order,” said Billy to Hugh, as they hurried from one patient to another, so as to keep up the good work.
“What makes you say that, Billy?” demanded the other, uneasily.
“Well, they’ve got some old shotguns and the like, and they’re talking things over now in little bunches!” Billy declared. “Whenever the old padrone comes around they hide these things, and let on that they’re not plotting mischief; but before night gets here they’ll make an attack on that stockade, unless the officers come up before, or something else happens.”
“The trouble is they keep seeing all these injured people,” complained Arthur.
“There is a whole lot in that,” admitted Hugh. “If only we could get them away somewhere, it might be easier to handle the mob.”