Middletown transcript., 1909-02-20
7Ehoon.eal cried The dnntnr.


barking hoarsely rs he ran. The
tsied was upon him before his stiff
old legs could get him out Of the
way Billy put his rudder toe
down hard to avoid collision. The
bob hopped out Of the road as If
it, too, were frightened. It spill
edits too passengers under the
old dogs startled nose, righted
itself, then slid over the fence
and fed away down the slope.
Once more the doctor and Billy
Moore picked themselves up.
They stared moment at the rap
idly disappearing sled; they look
ed at Bose, now Wagging friend.
ly tai. at these two suddenly dis
covered old friends; then they
turned to each other in dismay
that, in spite of William Goye's
baby, presently turned to help
less laughter.
Well, Billy, the luck's a little
against US tonight, isn't it? cried
the doctor. Doyou think we can
slide the restof the way on Bose?
Then bis face grew serious. But
l must get to that baby, some
how. Here, you go get the sled;
I'll run down across lots on the
crust.
All right, sir. I'll wait for you
here. And the two voyagers
parted, Billy trotting down the
bill after the recreant bob, while
the doctor, his precious bag in
hand, set off nimbly along the
road.
He reached the Rider yard and
turned in there, intending to go
between the shed and the barn to
the open field, and then straight
down the hillside and across the
frozen river to William Gove's.
The crust would bear his light
weight easily.
But as he passed the woodshed
he caught sightof a row of round
-mik-pans. put out to air, and now
cleaning dimly in the moonlight
A boyish recollection flashed
into the doctors mind. He stop
ped and chuckled to himself.
Elizabeth Rider won't mind
and since started out to coast,
I'm going to coast.
He snatched one of the pans
from its place and scurried on
round the corner of the shed.
When he reached the open hill
side, he set the pan on the smooth
crust and himself in it. Holding
his bag in frontof him with one
hand, he pushed off vigorously |
with the other.
The first swoop Of the new
craft was disconcerting. In a |
moment the doctor found himself
travelling swiftly backward, and |
at a great variety Of angles. He
had gone some distance before he |
Strengthened himself out, and
something of the boyhood knack
Of sidewise balancing came back |
to him.
A pan makes a surprisingly |
good toboggan on an icy crust
like this. That it had been forty |
years since the doctor had used
one for that purpose troubled
him not at all. He had kept the
spirit of youth unwithered |
through all the long, toilsome
years. 1t was characteristic of
him that although the fun of the
situation appealed strongly to
him. he did. not for q moment re-
lax the rigor of his haste. He
confidently believed that William
Go7e's baby was in no danger;
but he took no chances on that
score.
So now he chose the steepest
descents and made all possible
speed. Once he picked up his
pan and ran little way>across a
'tbench.n But for most of the
distance to the river it was
smooth coasting. Leaning back
a little to till up the front OF the
.'sled," be curled himself up like
a kitten and dropped swiftly |
down the hillside.
So quickly did he go that he |
shot OF very unexpectedly on to |
the frozen river. He scrambled
up, still clutching his bag in one
band and Mrs. Riders pan ID the
other, and ran across the ice to
the farther.hank. Climbing this, /
be soon found himself at the top
Eof a knoll which sloped down to
William Gove's back door, not
thirty feet away.
With the goal in sight, thedoc-
Tor ran hastily forward too hast
lily, for the treacherous footing |
,rid ,,nd him fnleo HE faok shOk