"I'll ask Uncle Dan'l to take him home with us," said Toby, as he slipped down from his high perch, and started toward the tent.
"I'll take care of that," said Ben, as he went toward the tent with him. "I had just fixed it with your uncle so's he'd take Abner from the poor-farm an' board him, an' now there's all the more reason why he should do it. You go back an' stay with Abner, an' I'll bring your uncle Dan'l out."
Then Toby went back to the wagon, where the poor little cripple still lay as one dead, while the blood flowed in a tiny stream from one of his arms, where the physician had opened a vein.
Not understanding the reason for this blood-letting, and supposing that the crimson now was due to the injuries Abner had received, Toby cried out in fear; but one of the men explained the case to him, and then he waited as patiently as possible for the driver's return.
Both Uncle Daniel and Aunt Olive came out with Ben, and within a very few moments Abner was being carried to the farm-house, in the same wagon that had taken him there before in company with the skeleton and his party for that famous dinner.
It frightened Toby still more to see the unconscious boy carried into the house by Ben and the doctor as though he were already dead; and when Aunt Olive led them into the best room, where no one had slept since Uncle Daniel's sister died, it seemed as if every one believed Abner could not live, or they would not have carried him there.
Toby hardly knew when Ben went away, or whether he said anything before he left, or, in fact, anything else, so sad and confused was he. He did not even think about Mr. Stubbs's brother, but remained in one corner of the room, almost hidden by one of the flowing chintz curtains, until Uncle Daniel heard him sobbing, and came and led him away.
"There is good reason to hope Abner will recover," said the old man, as he stroked Toby's hair; "but he is in the keeping of the One who never errs, and whatsoever He does is good."
Then Uncle Daniel actually kissed the boy, as he told him to go to bed and go to sleep. Toby went to bed as he was commanded, though it seemed impossible he should sleep while Abner might be dying.