"How do you know his leg is broken?"
" 'Cause he says so, and anybody with eyes can see it must be.
I'm going over to Hitchcock's to get somebody to come and help
in with him; for you know me and Mrs. Van Brunt ain't
Samsons."
"Where is Mrs. Van Brunt?"
"She 's out there, in a terrible to-do."
Nancy sped on to the Hitchcock's; and, greatly frightened and distressed, Ellen ran over to the barn, trembling like an aspen. Mr. Van Brunt was lying in the lower floor, just where he had fallen, one leg doubled under him in such a way as left no doubt it must be broken. He had lain there some time before any one found him; and on trying to change his position, when he saw his mother's distress, he had fainted from pain. She sat by, weeping most bitterly. Ellen could bear but one look at Mr. Van Brunt that one sickened her. She went up to his poor mother, and, getting down on her knees by her side, put both arms round her neck.
"Don't cry so, dear Mrs. Van Brunt" (Ellen was crying so she could hardly speak herself), "pray don't do so! he'll be better oh, what shall we do?"
"Oh, ain't it dreadful!" said poor Mrs. Van Brunt; "oh,'Brahm, 'Brahm! My son, my son! the best son that ever was to me oh, to see him there; ain't it dreadful? he's dying!"
"Oh, no, he isn't," said Ellen "oh, no, he isn't! what shall we do, Mrs. Van Brunt? what shall we do?"
"The doctor!" said Mrs. Van Brunt "he said 'send for the doctor;' but I can't go, and there's nobody to send. Oh, he'll die! Oh, my dear 'Brahm! I wish it was me!"
"What doctor?" said Ellen "I'll find somebody to go what doctor?"