“But, perhaps he wasn’t so very lame; he might have only made believe so,” suggested Clinton.
“I wish we hadn’t bound ourselves not to say anything about him,” said Whistler.
“They say a bad promise is better broken than kept,” added Clinton.
“Yes; but how do you know that was a bad promise?” inquired Whistler.
“I don’t think it was a very good one, even if the excuse he gave about his owing Mr. Brown some money was the real one,” replied Clinton.
“Well, I hope they will catch the rascal that set the fire, whoever he is,” said Whistler; “but, after all, I don’t think it could have been the man we met in the woods.”
Whistler did not pass the night very comfortably. When he slept he was visited by troubled dreams, the effect of the nervous excitement of the day; and his wounded finger was continually receiving knocks, the throbbing pain of which awoke him, sometimes keeping him in agony for half an hour afterwards. Daybreak was never more welcome to him than it was the next morning.
CHAPTER VI.
A LITERARY ENTERPRISE.
WHISTLER soon found that his visit to Brookdale was not quite “spoilt,” as he feared it was, by the accident that had happened to him. His injured finger was somewhat troublesome, it is true, especially at night, when it received many unfortunate knocks, which often awoke him from a sound sleep. It also prevented his joining in the rough and active sports of which boys are generally so fond; and, as he had but one hand to work with, he found, moreover, that he could render but little assistance to Clinton, in his regular duties. But there was another and a pleasanter side to the account. The wound pained him but slightly, and his health was not at all affected by it. He could walk and ride as much as he pleased; and then, when Clinton could not accompany him in his excursions, he never failed to find sources of amusement about the house, or in the shop or the barn. The doctor called occasionally to look after the finger, and always reported that it was doing well, never omitting to praise Whistler for the good care he took of it.