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,
for Tom was still staring at him in defiance.
II
TWO ENGLISH FRIENDS
"I don't want you," muttered the old gentleman, feebly, turning his head
away from Tom, and then he set his lips tightly together. But he held to
Polly's hand.
"You would better go out," Dr. Jones nodded to Tom. "It excites him."
The second time Tom was told to go. He stood quite still. "He's my
Grandfather!" he blurted out.
"Can't help it," said Dr. Jones, curtly; "he's my patient. So I tell you
again it is imperative that you leave this room." Then he turned back to
his work of making the sick man comfortable without taking any more
notice of the boy.
Tom gave a good long look at as much of his Grandfather's face as he
could see, then slunk out, in a dazed condition, trying to make himself
as small as possible. Jasper found him a half hour afterward, hanging
over the rail away from curious eyes, his head buried on his arms.
"I thought you'd like to know that your Grandfather is better," said
Jasper, touching the bent shoulder.
"Get away, will you?" growled Tom, kicking out his leg, unmindful
where it struck.
"And the doctor has gotten him into his state-room, and he is as
comfortable as he could be made." Jasper didn't add that Dr. Jones had
asked him to come back, and that the old man was still insisting that
Polly should hold his hand.
"In that case," declared Tom, suddenly twitching up his head, "I will go
down there." His face was so drawn that Jasper started, and then looked
away over the sea, and did not appear to notice the clenched hand down
by the boy's side.
"I--I--didn't know he was sick." Tom brought it out in gusts, and his
face worked worse than ever in his efforts not to show his distress. The
only thing he could do was to double up his hand tighter than ever, as
he tried to keep it back of him.
"I understand," nodded Jasper, still looking off over the blue water.
"And now I'll go down," said Tom, drawing a long breath and starting
off. Oh! and Dr. Jones had said the last thing to Jasper as he rushed off
with the good news to Tom, "On no account let that boy see his
Grandfather. I won't answer for the consequences if you do."
"See here," Jasper tore his gaze off from the shimmering water. "The
doctor doesn't--doesn't think you ought to see your Grandfather now."
"Hey!" cried Tom, his drawn lips flying open, and his big blue eyes
distending in anger. "He's my Grandfather. I rather think I shall do as
I've a mind to," and he plunged off.
"Tom!" Jasper took long steps after him. "Beg your pardon, this is no
time for thinking of anything but your Grandfather's life. Dr. Jones said
you were not to see him at present." The truth must be told, for in
another moment the boy would have been off on the wings of the wind.
"And do you think that I will mind in the least what that beastly doctor
says?" cried Tom, getting redder and redder in the face, his rage was so
great. "Hoh! no, sir."
"Then your Grandfather's life will be paid as a sacrifice," said Jasper
calmly. And he stood quite still; and surveyed the boy before him.
Neither spoke. It seemed to Jasper an age that they stood there in
silence. At last Tom wavered, put out his hand unsteadily, leaned
against a steamer chair, and turned his face away.
"Let us do a bit of a turn on the deck," said Jasper, suddenly,
overcoming by a mighty effort his repugnance to the idea.
Tom shook his head, and swallowed hard.
"Oh, yes," said Jasper, summoning all the cheerfulness he could muster
to his aid. "Come, it's the very thing to do, if you really want to help
your Grandfather."
Tom raised his head and looked at him. "I never supposed the old man
was sick," he
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.