"There's Miss Daisy, sir."

"What a plague!" exclaimed Ransom. "Daisy can walk. She must at any
rate; and you can bring her chair along to make firewood. Boys we ought
to be there this minute--at the Lake. We shall be cheated out of all
our fishing before dinner. That's along of mounting guard on a girl!
And after dinner there won't be two inches of time."

"Hush, Ransom!" said Preston.

At this point the consultation was enlarged, and its character somewhat
modified by the coming of Dr. Sandford upon the scene. From a height not
far off, where he was roaming with his gun, he had perceived the group
discerned that something was wrong, and come down with a quick step to
reach them. His eye rather than his voice asked what was the matter. He
was answered in various styles by the different members of the group.

"Here is a muss!" said Ransom.

"Miss Daisy, sir, she is left standing in the middle o' the
forest!"--said Logan.

"Sam has very stupidly sprained his ankle," said Preston, "and cannot
move."

The doctor without a word turned in the direction from which Logan had
come. "Follow me, young gentlemen," said he, looking over his
shoulder,---"I shall need your help." So unwillingly enough, the boys,
fishing tackle and all, turned back upon their steps, and followed. They