to set a broken leg that morning for a
trapper who lived ten miles _down_ the river, and on his return had
found a man waiting with a horse and cariole, who carried him violently
away to see his wife, who had been taken suddenly ill at a house twenty
miles _up_ the river, and so she didn't expect him back that night.

"An' where has 'e been took to?" inquired Tom.

She couldn't tell; she knew it was somewhere about the White-horse
Plains, but she didn't know more than that.

"Did 'e not say w'en 'e'd be 'ome?"

"No, he didn't."

"Oh dear!" said Tom, rubbing his long nose in great perplexity. "It's
an 'orrible case o' sudden and onexpected pison."

She was sorry for it, but couldn't help that; and thereupon, bidding him
good-morning, shut the door.

Tom's wits had come to that condition which just precedes "giving it up"
as hopeless, when it occurred to him that he was not far from Mr
Kennedy's residence; so he stepped into the cariole again and drove
thither. On his arrival, he threw poor Mrs Kennedy and Kate into great
consternation by his exceedingly graphic, and more than slightly
exaggerated, account of what had brought him in search of the doctor.
At first Mrs Kennedy resolved to go up to Fort Garry immediately, but
Kate persuaded her to remain at home, by pointing out that she could
herself go, and if anything very serious had occurred (which she didn't
believe), Mr Kennedy could come down for her immediately, while she
(Kate) could remain to nurse her brother.

In a few minutes Kate and Tom were seated side by side in the little
cariole, driving swiftly up the frozen river; and two hours later the
former was seated by her brother's bedside, watching him, as he slept,
with a look of tender affection and solicitude.

Rousing himself from his slumbers, Charley looked vacantly round the
room.

"Have you slept well, darling?" inquired Kate, laying her hand lightly
on his forehead.

"Slept--eh! oh yes, I've slept. I say, Kate, what a precious bump I
came down on my head, to be sure!"

"Hush, Charley!" said Kate, perceiving that he was becoming energetic.
"Father said you were to keep quiet--and so do I," she added, with a
frown. "Shut your eyes, sir, and go to sleep."

Charley complied by shutting his eyes, and opening his mouth, and
uttering a succession of deep snores.

"Now, you bad boy," said Kate, "why _won't_ you try to rest?"

"Because, Kate dear," said Charley, opening his eyes again--"b