d
the Old Squire below call out, "Who's there?"

"It's me," replied a troubled voice.

"Well, but who's 'me?'"

"Bobbie Sylvester. And please, sir, my folks want you to send one of the
boys after the doctor, quick!"

There was a sudden exclamation of wrath and indignation from Addison in
his room, with a chain of comments, which it is not necessary to
remember.

"Why, what's the matter?" we heard the Old Squire call out. But just
then we distinguished the murmur of Gram's voice, and a moment later
heard her coming up the stairs to speak to us.

"Boys," said she, "one of you must ride to the village after the doctor
for Mrs. Sylvester."

"But, Gram, it's a terrible night," Ad expostulated.

"I know it, boys," said she. "It's a bad night, but somebody must go."

"Let Sylvester go himself, then!" cried Addison, angrily.

"Well, but you know he hasn't any horse, and has rheumatism," said the
old lady.

Then began to dawn on me what I came to know full well later, that
whenever certain of our poorer neighbors were taken ill, or an
additional small member was about to be added to their families, they
were very prone to come hurrying to our door at dead of night,
beseeching some of us to ride seven miles to the village for the doctor.

Addison was really unfit to go. No doubt he felt unusually irritable.
"By the holy smoke!" he exclaimed. "I wish there wasn't a baby under the
Canopy!"--and while I was trying to puzzle out and piece together all
these darkling hints and inferences, the Old Squire came up stairs and
after a word with Addison and Gram, told me that I would have to rig up,
get on old Sol's back and take my first turn riding for Dr. Cummings.
That settled it.

Thereupon I began dressing in haste, Halstead lying at his ease and
crowing over me as I did so; and I am sorry to add that I was in a mood
so un-cousinly that I at length gave him a swipe with my thick jacket as
I put it on to hasten down stairs.

It was still raining fiercely; but they rigged me up as best they could
for the trip--buttoned me into an old buffalo coat (it was a huge fit
for a boy, thirteen), tied a woollen comforter around my neck, and
another one over the top of my cap, to hold that on my head and keep my
ears warm. Wool socks, a pair of large boots, and some heavy mittens
completed my outfit.

Gram herself went to the stable and looked to the saddle. I mounted;
Gramp pulled the great door of the stable open, and I rode