Page:Hendryx--Connie Morgan with the Mounted.djvu/66

48 with a bewildered glance at his leg. “An’ the next thing I remembered the whole mountain jumped sideways an’—” He pointed toward the bandages. “Busted?” he asked. Connie nodded.

Followed a long silence, and again the Sergeant spoke: “Guess I won’t be able to mush on over the pass. You an’ Ick, here, take the points to Rickey. Pack me up some grub from the canoe, an’ I’ll camp here till you get back.”

“Not on your life, Dan! Listen to me,” objected Connie. “I’ve had time to figure it out. I’ll take the points to Rickey, and Ick will”

“No you don’t! Remember, kid, I’m in command of this patrol”

“You’re incapacitated!” fired the boy, “and that leaves me in command. You can’t stay alone in the shape you’re in. Suppose”

“All right, kid,” grinned McKeever, “we’ll split the difference. You stay with me, an’ Ick can go on with the points. He’ll get ’em there quicker’n what you would; an’ then him an’ Rickey can pick us up on the way out.”

Connie shook his head: “Now, listen, Dan. It’s like this: your leg is broken—and broken bad.