Page:Dick Sands the Boy Captain.djvu/304

 CHAPTER IV.

ROUGH TRAVELLING.

{{sc|Just at this moment Jack woke up and put his arms round his mother's neck. His eyes were brighter, and there was manifestly no return of fever.

"You are better, darling!" said Mrs. Weldon, pressing him tenderly to her.

"Yes, mamma, I am better; but I am very thirsty." Some cold water was soon procured, which the child drank eagerly, and then began to look about him. His first inquiry was for his old friends, Dick and Hercules, both of whom approached at his summons and greeted him affectionately.

"Where is the horse?" was the next question.

"Gone away, Master Jack; I am your horse now," said Heercules.

"But you have no bridle for me to hold," saad Jack, looking rather disappointed.

"You may put a bit in my mouth if you like, master Jack." replied Hercules, extending his jaws, "and then you may pull as hard as you please."

"O. I shall not pull very hard," said Jack; "but haven't we nearly come to Mr. Harris's farm?"

Mrs. Weldon assured the child that they should soon be where they wanted to be, and Dick, finding that the conversation was approaching dangerous ground, proposed that the journey should be now resumed. Mrs. Weldon assented; the encampment was forthwith broken up, and the march continued as before.