"Alger Jr, Horatio - Joe the Hotel Boy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Alger Horatio Jr)

"Raise it up Joe--it--is--crushing the life ou--out of me," said
the hermit faintly.

"I'll pry it up," answered the boy, and ran off to get a block of
wood. Then he procured a stout pole and with this raised the
heavy beam several inches.

"Can you crawl out, Uncle Hiram?"

There was no answer, and Joe saw that the man had fainted from
exhaustion. Fixing the pole so it could not slip, he caught hold
of the hermit and dragged him to a place of safety.

Joe had never had to care for a hurt person before and he
scarcely knew how to proceed. He laid the hermit on the grass and
washed his face with water. Soon Hiram Bodley opened his eyes
once more.

"My chest!" he groaned. "All of my ribs must be broken! And my
ankle is broken, too!" And he groaned again.

"I had better get a doctor, Uncle Hiram."

"A doctor can't help me."

"Perhaps he can."

"I haven't any faith in doctors. A doctor operated on my mother
and killed her."

"But Doctor Gardner is a nice man. He will do all he can for
you, I am sure," urged Joe.

"Well, Dr. Gardner is a good fellow I admit. If you--can--can
get him--I'll--I'll --" The sufferer tried to go on but could
not.

"I think I can get him. But I hate to leave you alone." And Joe
stared around helplessly. He wished he had Ned with him.

"Never mind--give me a drink--then go," answered Hiram Bodley.
He had often taken Doctor Gardner out to hunt with him and liked
the physician not a little.

Inside of five minutes Joe was on the way to the doctor's
residence, which was on the outskirts of Riverside. He had left
the hermit as comfortable as possible, on a mattress and covered
with a cloth to keep off the night air,-- for it was now growing
late and the sun had set behind the mountains.