"They're bringing things," Jim said. He took off his coat and spread it
over his father, and Murty did the same. "And the doctor's coming--it's
wonderful luck--he came out from Cunjee with Wally." Jim put his hand on
Norah's. "Were you all right, old kiddie?"

"Quite right," said she. Then they waited silently until a rattle of
wheels came as the express wagon clattered up. Murty went out to the
track to bring the doctor in.

Dr. Anderson cast a glance at Norah by the light of the lanterns they
had brought, and spoke to Jim.

"Take her away," he said. "I don't want you, either. Murty and Boone
will help me." So the two who were only children wandered off into the
scrub together, sitting on a log, silently, in sick anxiety, while the
doctor was busy. A groan came to them once, and Norah shuddered and put
her face into her hands, while Jim, who had himself shivered at the
sound, put his arm round her, and tried to whisper something, only his
voice would not come. Then--ages later, it seemed--the doctor's voice:

"Are you two there?"

They hurried to him.

"We'll get him home," the doctor said. "A risk, moving him; but it's
worse to leave him lying under that log. The men are getting some of
the dogwood down, so that we can carry him out better. He's badly
knocked about, but his head's all right. The leg is the worst; it's
fractured in two places. You'll have a patient for a good while,
Norah."

"Then--then he won't die?"

"Die?" said the doctor. "Not a bit of it! He'll--ah, you poor child!"
For Norah had turned and clung to Jim, and was sobbing, while the big
fellow who bent over her and patted her was himself unable to speak.
Little Dr. Anderson patted them both, and choked himself, though he hid
it professionally with a cough. He remarked afterwards that he had not
known that young Norah Linton could cry.

It was only for a minute, though. The men came back carrying a
stretcher, and Norah and Jim sprang to help. Very gently they lifted
David Linton's unconscious form, and the four bore him slowly to the
wagon, Norah backing in front with two lanterns to light every step.

"Chancy work through them dorgwood spikes," said Dave Boone. But they
came out safely, and got him into the wagon, where a mattress was in
readiness. The doctor heaved a sigh of relief when the business was
done. So they took him home, the grey horses pulled into a slow walk,
while Jim and Norah rode ahead to find the smoothest track.