Page:Cornelia Meigs-The Pirate of Jasper Peak.djvu/161

 to arouse John Edmonds and move him, helplessly weak as he was, to the improvised couch. Hugh did not stop to rekindle the lantern, but flung  more wood upon the fire and by its light went  about the task of getting his patient partly undressed and of making him more comfortable.

During these ministrations, poor Nicholas, not realizing that his share of usefulness was over,  contrived to make himself continually in the way. He seemed at least ten sizes too big for the tiny cabin and to have the idea that the best thing he  could do was to keep as near to Edmonds as possible. Hugh pushed him out of the way a score of times, stumbled over him in the half dark and  felt, every time he stood still for a moment, that  cold nose pushed into his hand as though the big  dog were begging him to do his best. At last the worried creature subsided, and lay down at the  sufferer's feet, with his chin on his paws and his  dark eyes still following Hugh wherever he went. The bqy tried everything he knew and, finally, kneeling beside his patient on the floor, was rewarded by seeing the uneasy stupor pass into