The High School Boys' Training HikeHancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)
General
The High School Boys' Training Hike
Hancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)
Hiking -- Juvenile fiction
"It wouldn't be really wise, would it?" Dick counter-queried.
"Our tent and shelter flap are pretty wet to take down and fold
away in a wagon. We'd find it wet going, too. Hadn't we better
stay here until to-morrow, and then break camp with our tent properly
dry?"
All hands voted in favor of remaining---except the hoboes, who
weren't asked. They would remain indefinitely, anyway, if permitted,
and if the food held out.
But Dick soon set them to work. One was despatched for water,
the other two set to gathering wet firewood and spreading it in
the sun to dry out. Nor did the trio of remaining tramps refuse
to do the work required of them, though they looked reluctant
enough at first.
Two more hours passed.
"I'm afraid our friend, Hustling Weary, is having a hard time
to get a doctor who'll come down the road," Dick remarked to Darrin.
"Oh, the doctor will come, if Weary has found him," Dave replied.
"Doctors always come. They have to, or lose their reputations."
Half an hour later a business-like honk! was heard. Then, through
the trees Dick & Co. saw an automobile halt down at the side of
the road. A tall, stout man, who looked to be about sixty-five
years old, but who displayed the strength and speed of a young
man, leaped from the car, followed by the tramp messenger.
"Mr. Prescott?" called the big stranger.
"Yes, sir," bowed Dick.
"Dr. Hewitt. Let me see your patient."
For some minutes the physician bent over the peddler, examining
and questioning the old man, who answered with effort.
"I must get Hinman to a hospital some miles from here," the physician
explained, aside, to Dick. "The poor old man is going to have
pneumonia, and he'd die without hospital care. Probably he'll
die, anyway. I'll give him a hypodermic injection in the arm,
then wait for him to become quiet. After that we'll move him
to the tonneau of my car and I'll take him to the hospital. I
telephoned Hinman's son, over at Fenton, telling him where his
father and his wagon are. The son ought to come over and take
charge of the outfit."
It was three quarters of an hour later when Dr. Hewitt examined
his patient, then remarked:
"He can be moved now, as well as at any time."
"There's someone coming," announced Reade, as the sound of a horse's
hoofs were heard. Tom went out to look at the new arrival.
A man of forty, rather flashily dressed, though somewhat mud-spattered,
rode up on a horse that looked much the worse for being abroad
on the bad roads.
"I understand that Mr. Hinman is here, ill," began the stranger.
"He is," Tom nodded. "Have you any interest in him?"
"Mr. Hinman is my father."
"Come right in," Tom invited, throwing open the flap of the tent.
"Hold my horse, will you?"
Something in the younger Hinman's way of making the request caused
Reade's backbone to stiffen.
"I see that you have a piece of halter rope," Tom replied. "You
may tie your horse to any one of the trees. They don't belong
to me."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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