ge; author of 'Diseases of
the Throat and Lungs,' etc., etc."

But Dr. Morgan was not given to advertising either his titles or
himself, and he was hurrying across the platform to Redny Blount's depot
wagon when Captain Hiram touched him on the arm.

"Why, hello, Captain Baker," exclaimed the Doctor, "how do you do?"

"Dr. Morgan," said the Captain, "I--I hope you'll excuse my presumin' on
you this way, but I want to ask a favor of you, a great favor. I want to
ask if you'll come down to the house and see the boy; he's on the sick
list."

"What, Dusenberry?"

"Yes, sir. He's pretty bad, I'm 'fraid, and the old lady's considerable
upsot about him. If you just come down and kind of take an observation,
so's we could sort of get our bearin's, as you might say, 'twould be a
mighty help to all hands."

"But where's your town physician? Hasn't he been called?"

The Captain explained. He had inquired, and he had telegraphed, but
could get no word of Dr. Parker's whereabouts.

The great Boston specialist listened to Captain Hiram's story in an
absent-minded way. Holidays were few and far between with him, and when
he accepted the long-standing invitation of Mr. Ogden Williams to run
down for the week end he determined to forget the science of medicine
and all that pertained to it for the four days of his outing. But an
exacting patient had detained him long enough to prevent his taking the
train that morning, and now, on the moment of his belated arrival, he
was asked to pay a professional call. He liked the Captain, who had
taken him out fishing several times on his previous excursions to East
Harniss, and he remembered Dusenberry as a happy little sea urchin, but
he simply couldn't interrupt his pleasure trip to visit a sick baby.
Besides, the child was Dr. Parker's patient, and professional ethics
forbade interference.

"Captain Hiram," he said, "I am sorry to disappoint you, but it will
be impossible for me to do what you ask. Mr. Williams expected me this
morning, and I am late already. Dr. Parker will, no doubt, return soon.
The baby cannot be dangerously ill or he would not have left him."

The Captain slowly turned away.

"Thank you, Doctor," he said huskily. "I knew I hadn't no right to ask."

He walked across the platform, abstractedly striking his right hand into
his left. When he reached the ticket window he put one hand against the
frame as if to steady himself, and stood there listlessly.

The ente