clean
break--a merciful thing, for we couldn't take an X-ray of it if we
wanted to."

With these words he left the room.

It was some little time before he returned, and in the meanwhile
Mr. Croyden sat beside Theo's bed and talked cheerily.

"Nothing like traveling with your own doctor," he remarked
jocosely. "Now if my leg was broken I should have to hire some one in
to see it, and it would cost me a pretty penny. But here you are miles
from a settlement with your own private physician in attendance. Were
you a young prince you could not be more royally cared for. Think of
having one of the best New York surgeons at your beck and call here in
this wilderness. You are a lucky beggar!"

Theo laughed faintly.

"As for splints--here is a forest of the finest, straightest, and
strongest timber. What more can you ask? You couldn't do things on a
grander scale if you were in New York City."

Again Theo smiled.

"Your father will have you comfortable as a cricket before long," went
on Mr. Croyden, "and you will be all ready to start back----"

"Start back!" interrupted Theo in distress. "Oh, surely, Mr. Croyden,
Father is not going to take me home!"

The older man hesitated.

"Oh, of course I have no way of knowing what your father means to do,"
he protested hastily. "I only imagined that you would be more
comfortable at home, and would rather go. There really would not be
much point in staying out the month here, would there? You see, you
won't be able to get about, and your father would not like to go off
every day and leave you here alone in camp."

"But Father has spent all this money to come into the woods, and he
has looked forward to the trip so much!" groaned Theo. "Besides, he is
very tired and needs the rest; he told me so. If he takes me back home
he will miss it all! He doesn't want the vacation just for his own
fun, but so he can serve our country better if he is needed. I don't
see why we couldn't stay on here just as we planned, even if I have a
broken leg," was Theo's concluding plea.

"Think how stupid it would be for you to be left in the house alone."

"I shouldn't care. I could find some way to amuse myself."

"But your father----"

"He could go fishing just as he always does!" exclaimed Theo
promptly. "You surely don't suppose I'd be so selfish as to make him
stay in the house just because I had to, do you? You see"--Theo
colored and then went on bravely--"this accident was my own
fau