Five Little Peppers Abroad | Page 4

row here."
"Very well," said Jasper, coolly, "since you are determined to do nothing for his relief, I shall take it upon myself to summon the doctor." He stepped to a table a bit further off, and touched the electric button back of it.
"Here, don't do that," remonstrated Tom, springing forward. But it was too late, and the steward who attended to calls on the library stepped in.
"It isn't the hour for giving out books," he began.
Tom was stamping his foot impatiently, and scowling at Jasper, alternately casting longing glances out the nearest port-hole.
"It isn't books we want," said Jasper, quickly, "but this old gentleman"--whose head was now heavily sunken on his breast, and whose cheek was quite white--"appears to be very ill, and to need the doctor."
"Is that so?" The steward leaned over and peered into the old face. "Well, he doesn't look just right, and that's a fact. Is he your father?"
"Oh, no," said Jasper, quickly, "I don't know who he is. But, do hurry, for he's sick, and needs the doctor at once."
"I'll get Dr. Jones." Off ran the steward toward the surgeon's cabin.
"See what you've done," cried Tom, in a towering passion. "Kicked up a pretty mess--when I tell you I've seen my Grandfather just as bad a hundred times."
Jasper made no reply, and Polly continued to stroke gently the poor head.
"Well--well--well!" exclaimed Mr. King, coming in, "to be sure, it's very stupid in me not to think of looking in the library for both of you before. O dear me--bless me!" And he came to a dead stop of astonishment.
"Father," cried Jasper, "this poor man seems very ill."
"Oh, yes," breathed Polly, pitifully, "he really is, Grandpapa." And she put out her hand to seize one of Mr. King's. "And Jasper has sent for the doctor."
"And none too soon, I should say," remarked Mr. King, grimly, with a keen glance into the old man's face. "Raise his feet a little higher, Jasper; put a pillow under them; there, that's it. Well, the doctor should be hurried up." He glanced quickly around. "Here, you boy," seeing Tom, "run as you never have run before, and tell the doctor to come quickly."
"There isn't any need," began Tom.
"Do you _go_!" commanded Mr. King, pointing to the door. And Tom went.
"Father, that boy is his grandson," said Jasper, pointing to the sick man.
Mr. King stared into Jasper's face, unable to make a reply.
"He is," declared Polly. "Oh, Grandpapa, he really is!" Then she buried her flushed face up against Mr. King's arm.
"There is no need to waste words," said Mr. King, finding his tongue. "There, there, Polly, child," fondling her brown head, "don't feel badly. I'm sure you've done all you could."
"'Twas Jasper; he did it all--I couldn't do anything," said Polly.
"Oh, Polly, you did everything," protested Jasper.
"Yes, yes, I know, you both did," said Mr. King. "Well, here's the doctor, thank the Lord!"
And then when nobody wanted them, the library seemed to be full of people, and the news spreading out to the decks, many of the passengers got out of their steamer chairs, and tried to swarm into the two doorways.
Tom, who never knew how he summoned Dr. Jones, being chiefly occupied in astonishment at finding that he obeyed a command from a perfect stranger, did not come back to the library, but kept himself with the same amazed expression on his face, idly kicking his heels in a quiet corner of the deck near by. He never thought of such a thing as being worried over his Grandfather, for he couldn't remember when the old gentleman hadn't been subject to nervous attacks; but somehow since "a row," as he expressed it, "had been kicked up," it was just as well to stay in the vicinity and see the end of it. But he wasn't going inside --no, not he!
After awhile, Tom was just beginning to yawn, and to feel that no one could expect him to waste time like that, and probably his Grandfather was going to sleep it out on the sofa, and the stupid doctor would find that there was nothing the matter, only the old man was nervous. "And I'm going back to the fellows," decided Tom, shaking his long legs.
"Oh, here you are!" cried Jasper, running up to him. "Come quickly," seizing his arm.
"Hey, here, what are you about?" roared Tom at him, shaking off the hand.
"You must excuse me for wasting no ceremony," said Jasper, sternly. It struck Tom that he looked very much like the old gentleman who had told him to _go!_ "Your Grandfather is very ill; something is the matter with his heart, and the doctor has sent me for you. He says he may not live an hour." It was necessary to tell the whole of the dreadful truth,