"That satisfies me," the man remarked, closing his lips as though he
felt that he could stand anything, now that Mazie was safe. "Please make
all the haste you possibly can. Minutes will seem like hours to me until
I feel her dear little arms around my neck."
"First I must get you a drink," Phil told him; and without waiting to
see or hear anything more he darted off, all his own weariness utterly
forgotten in this one desire to render first aid to the wounded.
He had no trouble doubling on his own trail, and thus finding the
spring. Since there was no other means for carrying water Phil dipped
his hat in, and was soon back alongside the injured man, who drank
greedily of the cold fluid, and seemed greatly refreshed in consequence.
"Now I'll run in the direction of the cabin," Phil observed, after he
had in this fashion relieved the pressing needs of the other.
"Are you sure you can find me again?" asked the man, anxiously. "If you
are in doubt call out, and I'll try to answer. I heard shouts a little
while back, but my throat was too dry for me to make a sound above a
groan."
"You heard me having a little circus with an angry bull moose that had
me backed up behind a tree," Phil told him; "but never fear about my
being able to come straight here. I'm woodsman enough for that, and take
my bearings as I go. Look for us to come inside of an hour, sir."
With that he was off on a run. Just as he had said with such assurance,
he had his bearings, and knew just which way to go in order to reach
home. Before twenty minutes had elapsed Phil burst upon those comrades
who were clustered in front of the cabin, watching the little girl do
some cunning dance steps which she could hardly have learned up there in
that wilderness.
Judging from his excited condition that Phil had met with an adventure
of some sort, the boys began to ask numerous questions.
"Never mind what it's all about, fellows," he told them. "I want Ethan
and X-Ray to come with me right away. Lub, you look after the cabin, and
Mazie. Ethan, fetch your camp hatchet; and we will need some ends of
rope. Hurry, both of you! I'll explain after we're on the run!"
The blank expression on poor Lub's face told better than words what he
thought of being left out in the cold that way. Still, he was so
accustomed to doing what he was told that such a thing as rebellion
never once entered his head. Besides, he must have realized that some
one had to stay with the child. And when it came to sprinting, as Phil
seemed to think was going to be necessary, Lub was not built for quick
action or long continued running.
Phil had hardly time to draw a dozen long breaths before the other boys
announced that they were ready to accompany him.
Wonder was written in big letters all over their faces. The little Phil
had said must certainly have aroused their curiosity until it reached
fever heat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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