The Heroes of the School Part 8

"Half an hour's enough," Lem said. "I haven't got time for any more."

"I must go by the book," Alice declared firmly. "A good nurse always does that."

Alice walked into the drug store, leading Lem as though she had done that sort of thing all her life. The four chums followed.

"Some hot water please, in a deep basin," requested Alice of the clerk, and, though the man behind the counter looked in wonder at the strange cavalcade, he brought out the basin full of the steaming liquid.

"Put your wrist in," commanded Alice as she rolled up Lem's sleeve.

He thrust his arm in, half way to the elbow.

"Ouch!" he yelled. "It's hot!"

"Of course it is," replied the girl coolly, "it has to be. Now while we are waiting the hour and a half let's talk about the game. It will help you to forget the pain. Maybe Bart has money for some ice cream soda."

"I'll buy 'em," said Lem, trying to get his uninjured hand into his pocket.

"You'll do nothing of the sort," decided Alice. "You're a patient.

Whoever heard of a patient standing treat?" and she motioned to her brother.

CHAPTER VIII

THE STRANGE BOATMAN

Bart went over to the soda fountain and ordered "something for all hands" as he expressed it. Meanwhile Alice remained at Lem's side, holding his wrist down well under the hot water. Lem's face had lost some of its pained look. The heat was reducing the swelling and, consequently, the pressure.

"Will you kindly get me some cotton and bandages ready?" asked Alice of the clerk, and he produced them at once.

"When you going to graduate as a trained nurse?" asked Bart, as he came back, a gla.s.s of soda in each hand.

"Little boys shouldn't ask the nurse questions," spoke Alice, with a laugh.

"I say, how's Lem going to eat his?" asked Frank. "He's only got one hand, and it's hard work dishing up the cream with a long handled spoon if you don't hold the gla.s.s."

"You boys will have to hold mine and Lem's," said Alice. "We can eat with one hand then," and so it was done. Bart held Lem's gla.s.s and Fenn took charge of Alice's. When they finished the boys who had acted as soda-bearers regaled themselves on the beverage.

"Say, Alice, how long before that'll be done? It's been boiling half an hour now," remarked Bart.

"More hot water, please," the girl requested of the clerk. "A little longer," she added to her brother. "Then I'm going to bandage it and we can go."

To give her credit Alice did bandage the sprained wrist quite well. She opened her first-aid book on the counter in front of her and followed a diagram showing how to fold the cloth. The druggist complimented her on her skill.

"This is my first big case," said Alice with a smile. She was very much in earnest over it, however lightly the boys treated her ambition. "I hope I have some more soon."

"Well, I hope it isn't me," said Lem.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you," said Alice, looking a little offended.

"Oh, I didn't mean that!" Lem hastened to add. "It feels ever so much better. I meant I hope I won't get hurt again. The season is young yet and we've lots of games ahead of us."

"Guess we'll have to take Alice along to look after the wounded," said Frank. "She'll be the mascot."

"Somebody was mascot to-day all right," came from Bart. "We certainly were in luck. Stumpy, hereafter you're the regular subst.i.tute pitcher.

Sandy Merton can consider himself released."

It was dusk when the little group left the drug store to go to their several homes.

"You must come and report to me to-morrow," said Alice as she bade Lem good-bye. "Be careful to keep the bandage on."

"I will," he promised.

His house was in the opposite direction to that which the four chums took. The chums walked on slowly together, Alice and Jennie hurrying away to do an errand for Mrs. Keene. As the boys turned a corner they almost collided with a man who was walking quickly in the opposite direction.

"I beg pardon!" he muttered as he pa.s.sed through the group of lads.

They were too surprised to respond and when Bart did think to say, "certainly," the man was several feet away hurrying up the street. The boys gazed after him.

"Don't you know who that is?" asked Ned suddenly.

"No; friend of yours?" inquired Fenn.

"I'm sure it's the man we met in the woods Sat.u.r.day."

"Who, the crazy man?"

"No, the one at the hut--the King of Paprica--though he may be crazy for all I know. I recognized him as he hurried past me."

"Are you sure?" asked Frank.

"Positive."

"He didn't have his crown on," spoke Bart.

"And his clothes were not the same," put in Fenn.

"That doesn't make any difference," insisted Ned. "I am sure it was the same man. I'll bet there's some mystery here, and it's up to us to solve it," he added.

"I don't see why," said Frank.

"Why haven't we as good a right as any one?"

"I'm certain this man, if he is the one we saw at the hut, is the keeper of that poor lunatic we first met in the woods. Now what's the use of bothering them. They have troubles enough," replied Frank.

"Well, I want to get a look inside that hut," went on Ned, "and I'm going to, some day."