Barney's earnest assurance that the presence of microbes
was no impeachment of the most scrupulous housekeeping and, indeed, that
these mysterious creatures were to be found in the very highest circles,
that Mrs. Fallows was finally appeased. With equal skill he inaugurated
his "good food" department, soothing Mrs. Fallows' susceptibilities with
the diplomatic information that in surgical cases such as Ben's certain
articles of diet specially prepared were necessary to the best results.

Not the least successful part of the treatment prescribed was that
furnished by the "good cheer" department. This was left entirely
in Dick's charge, and he threw himself into its direction with the
enthusiasm of a devotee. Iola with her guitar was undoubtedly his
mainstay. But Dick was never quite satisfied unless he could persuade
Margaret, too, to assist in his department. But Margaret had other
duties, and, besides, she had associated herself more particularly
with Mrs. Boyle in the work of supplementing Mrs. Fallows' somewhat
unappetising though entirely substantial meals with delicacies more
suited to the sickroom. Dick, however, insisted that with all that Iola
and himself in the "good cheer" department and Barney in what he called
the "scavenging" department could achieve, there was still need of
Margaret's presence and Margaret's touch. Hence, before the busy harvest
time came upon them, he made a practice of calling at the manse, and,
relieving her of the duty of getting to sleep little five-year-old Tom,
with whom he was first favourite, he would carry her off to the Fallows
household, whither Barney and Iola had preceded them.

Altogether the "young doctor," as Ben called him, had reason to be proud
of the success he was achieving with his first patient. The amputation
healed over and the bone knit at the first intention, and in a few
weeks Ben was far on the way to convalescence. He was never weary in
his praises of the "young doctor." It was the "young doctor" who, by
changing the bandages, had eased him of the intolerable pain which
followed the first dressing. It was the "young doctor" who had changed
the splints, shaping them cunningly to fit the limb, bringing ease where
there had been chafing pain.

"Let 'em 'ave the old doctor if they want," was Ben's final conclusion,
"but fer me, the young doctor, sez I."

VII

THE GOOD CHEER DEPARTMENT

The "good cheer" department, while ostensibly for Ben's benefit