“Because I told your mother I’d find you and send you to her. She’s got something to say to you.”
“Sure! I suppose you went and told her a lot of lies about me.”
“You don’t suppose anything of the sort,” responded Dick quietly.
“Of course not, but you want to do what she wishes, don’t you?”
“That’s my business,” replied the other ungraciously. “I do as I please.”
“Well, you’re a lucky chap, then,” said Dick pleasantly. “By the way, are you going to see the ball game Saturday?”
“Yes, I guess so. That is”—with elaborate concern—“unless you don’t want me to.”
“I was going to say that if you’ll ask for me at the gate I’ll pass you in, Harold.”
“Gee, they’ve got a crust! Who’d pay twenty-five cents to see a lot of wooden-heads play ball?”
“Well, we’re hoping a lot will. Anyway, you won’t have to. Just ask for me at the gate. I guess it will be a pretty good game. Do you like baseball?”
“Sure! What do you think I am—a wooden Indian?”
“That’s good. They have a pretty good team at Rifle Point. Maybe you’ll make it some day.”
“There isn’t any maybe about it. I’m going to.”
“I hope so. Well, I must be getting back. You coming along? It must be very nearly lunch time.”
“No, I’m not,” growled Harold. “I’ll come when I’m ready.”
“All right. By the way, we won’t have any lessons to-morrow. Nothing doing until Monday. Meanwhile you see if you can’t get the better of that algebra, like a good fellow. So-long!”
Dick pulled himself up and fixed his crutches and began the laborious task of climbing back up the rock and across to the beach. Fortunately his rubber tips held well, and he was soon at the top of the ledge. But there misfortune overtook him. Just what happened he couldn’t have told, but the result he was very certain about. For one crutch flew out from under him, he spun half around on the other and fell backward, his head coming into violent contact with the granite ledge. For an instant he was too dazed to move. His head rang and buzzed like a bee-hive. In falling he must have cried out involuntarily, for almost before he had gathered his faculties together and made a move to get up he heard footsteps pattering on the rocks, and then the anxious voice of Harold Townsend:
Harold ran to him, and bent over him with very genuine concern.