When they had driven three or four miles Mary asked the doctor if there was any typhoid fever in the house they were approaching. "How do I know?" "I thought you might be able to divine whether there is or not." "We'll suppose there isn't. We'll stop and get a drink," he answered indulgently. They stopped, Mary took the reins and the doctor went to reconnoiter. "Nobody at home and not a vessel of any kind in sight," he announced coming back. Of course her thirst was now raging. "Maybe there's a gourd hanging inside the curb. If there is do break it loose and bring it to me heaping full." "I looked inside the curb--nothing there." Here Mary's anxious eyes saw a glass fruit jar turned upside down on a fence paling. Blessings on the woman who put it there! The doctor filled and brought it to her. After a long draught she uttered a sigh of rich content. "Now," she said, "I'm ready to go home." CHAPTER X. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. "Hello." "Is this the doctor?" "It's one of 'em," said John, recognizing the voice of a patient. "Well, doctor, the _other_ side of my throat is sore _now_!" "Is it? Well, I told your husband it might be." "Why?" "Why? Well, because I'm running short of coffee and a few things like that." A little laugh. "_I_ don't want to keep you in coffee and things like that." "Nobody does. But the poor doctors have to live and you must contribute your share." Laughter. "All right, Doctor, but I don't want to have to contribute too much." "Don't be alarmed about your throat, Mrs. Channing. When I looked at it yesterday, I saw indications that the other side might be affected, but it will soon be well." "That sounds better. Thank you, good-bye." When he came back to the table his wife said, "John, I shouldn't think you'd say things like that to people." "Why?" "Well, they might believe 'em." The doctor laughed, swallowed his cup of tea and departed. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. Three times. "Hello." "Is Dr. Blank at home?" "He has just this minute left for the office. 'Phone him there in two minutes and you will get him." Mary went back, took two bites and when the third was suspended on her fork the 'phone rang. "Somebody else," she thought, laying the fork down and rising. "Oh! I've got you again, Mrs. Blank. You said to ring in two minutes and I'd get the doctor." "But you didn't wait _one_ minute." "It seemed lots longer. All right, I'll wait." "People expect a doctor to get there in less than no time," thought Mary. "John walks so fast I felt safe in telling her to 'phone him in two minutes." _Buzz-z-z-z-z_, as if all the machinery of the universe were let loose in her ear. She had held the receiver till her husband could reach the office so she might feel assured the anxious one had found him. Yes, that was his voice. "Dr. Blank, you're president of the board of health, ain't ye?" "Yes--guess so."