“’Twill be a great help,” said Thomas. “The boys finds th’ barrels heavy liftin’, and an extra hand would help us wonderful much.”
“And get un done quicker,” suggested David, “and then we’ll get away to th’ post on this tide.”
“All right,” said Doctor Joe, “let’s go to it.”
Below the house Thomas had built of stones and logs a short jetty, which served as a wharf for loading and unloading his big boat. The barrels of fish were rolled down to the jetty, and the boat brought alongside.
“Now,” said Thomas, “’twill be easy work. Davy and Andy can roll the barrels to us, Doctor Joe, whilst you and I lifts un down into the boat and stows un. They’re a bit heavy, but we can manage without troubling with a rope t’ lower un down, and ’twill save time.”
“All right,” agreed Doctor Joe. “Let them come, boys.”
[Illustration: “Aye, feel of un and rub the numbness out”]
“Aye,” laughed Davy, “we’ll let un come fast as ever you and Pop can lift un.”
And so they were doing well enough, and making quick work of it, until the last barrel came, and the boat was so crowded with cargo that the standing room for Thomas and Doctor Joe was narrow and cramped.
“Have you a good footing there?” asked Doctor Joe, when the barrel was balanced on the end of the jetty and they were ready for the lift.
“’Tis all right,” said Thomas, “let her come.”
And then Thomas slipped, and though Doctor Joe did his best to prevent it, the barrel crashed down upon Thomas’s leg, and when Doctor Joe and David lifted it and released him, Thomas discovered that he could not stand upon the leg.
“She’ll soon be all right,” said Thomas. “She’s just numbed a bit with the weight.”
“Let me feel of it,” suggested Doctor Joe, proceeding to examine the leg.
“Aye, feel of un, and rub th’ numbness out,” said Thomas.
“Too bad! Too bad!” exclaimed Doctor Joe, presently. “The leg is broken.”
Doctor Joe and the boys carried Thomas to the house and laid him in his bunk. Then Doctor Joe cut some sticks of proper length and size and wrapped them with pieces of old blanket, and with David’s help set the leg and deftly bound the splints into place with bandages which Margaret had quickly prepared under his direction as he worked.
“There you are,” he said, finally, standing up and surveying his work. “Does it feel comfortable, Tom?”