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

Tired though he was the boy pulled with might and main, and so
reached the dock of the physician's home in a short space of
time. Running up the walk of the neatly-kept garden, he mounted
the piazza and rang the bell several times.

"What's the matter?" asked Doctor Gardner, who came himself to
answer the summons.

"Our cabin is in ruins, because of the storm, and Mr. Bodley is
badly hurt," answered Joe, and related some of the particulars.

"This is certainly too bad, my boy," said the physician. "I'll
come at once and do what I can for him."

He ran for a case of instruments and also for some medicines, and
then followed Joe back to the boat.

"You act as if you were tired," said the doctor, after he had
watched Joe at the oars for several minutes.

"I am tired, sir--I've been rowing a good deal to-day. But I
guess I can make it."

"Let me row," said the physician, and took the oars. He was a
fine oarsman, and the trip was made in half the time it would
have taken Joe to cover the distance.

At the dock there was a lantern, used by Joe and the hermit when
they went fishing at night. This was lit, and the two hurried up
the trail to the wreck of the cabin.

Hiram Bodley was resting where Joe had left him. He was
breathing with difficulty and did not at first recognize the
doctor.

"Take it off!" he murmured. "Take it off! It is--is crushing
th--the life out of--of me!"

"Mr. Bodley--Hiram, don't you know me?" asked Doctor Gardner,
kindly.

"Oh! So it's you? I guess you can't do much, doctor, can you?
I--I'm done for!" And a spasm of pain crossed the sufferer's
face.

"While there is life there is hope," answered the physician,
noncommittally. He recognized at once that Hiram Bodley's
condition was critical.