The Boy Chums Cruising in Florida Waters

by Frances Trego Montgomery

  CHAPTER XVII.

  MORE MYSTERIES.

  "WE have got to get a doctor just as quick as we can," Charleydeclared. "I wish you could go, Captain. I would rather be with him anddo what little I can for him. I'm afraid he will not last till you canget a doctor over here."

  "But I do not know how to run the launch," the old sailor reminded him.

  "That is so, I will have to go," agreed the lad. "Well, I guess, youcan do as much for him as I could. Keep his hand in hot water all thetime and keep forcing the coffee down him every few minutes. I'll beback as quick as I can."

  Seizing his hat Charley started for the dock on a run.

  In a few minutes he was back, consternation on his face.

  "Something's broke about the engine," he cried, "I can't start it upand I can't see to fix it in the dark. You'll have to go over in one ofthe skiffs, Captain. You will make better time than I could for you rowbetter."

  The old sailor was out and gone almost before he finished speaking, andin a minute Charley could hear the quick stroke of oars coming from thewater.

  "Do you think Massa Walt's goin' to die, Massa Chas?" Chris inquired inan awed whisper as they watched the stupefied lad.

  "I am afraid so, Chris," Charley said, sadly. "Some of that awfulpoison has got into his blood. It checks the heart action. That is whatI am giving the coffee for. It stimulates the heart and makes it workfaster. But it is not powerful enough to overcome the deadening effectof the poison. It needs a powerful heart stimulant to do that. Whiskeywould do fairly well. Oh! how I wish I had a couple of bottles of thataguardiente now!"

  He lapsed into silence and sat sorrowfully watching his stricken chum,while Chris crouched at his side, deepest grief on his little ebonyface.

  Suddenly there came a sharp rap at the door, and Charley sprang to hisfeet.

  "It can't be the doctor so quick," he said. "Come in," he called out.

  There was no answer to his invitation and stepping to the door he flungit open.

  Nothing but blank darkness greeted his searching eyes.

  He stepped outside and looked around but the darkness was so dense hecould not see twenty feet from the cabin.

  Puzzled, he was turning back into the cabin when his foot came intocontact with something on the step. He picked the object up and bore itto the light.

  One glance and he gave a shout of joy. "Aguardiente, Chris," he cried."May the Lord bless whoever put it there."

  He seized a cup and pouring it half full of the fiery liquor forced itdown his chum's throat.

  He allowed a half hour to pass by, then administered another dose.

  At times he fancied he could trace a slight return of color in hischum's pale face but, if any, it was so slight that he could not becertain.

  At the end of an hour he gave a third stiff dose of the powerfulstimulant.

  "I wish the captain would get here with the doctor," he said,anxiously. "I can't see as he is improving any. I fancy most that stuffis doing is to help keep him from slipping away from us."

  "Dat's de captain, now," Chris said, joyfully, as there came a briskrap at the door.

  It was not the captain but a young, athletic-looking man bearing asmall, black, leather case.

  "I am the doctor," he announced. "How is the boy? Still alive?"

  "Yes, he is still living," said Charley, in relief, "but I don't thinkhe will last much longer unless you can help him."

  "What have you done for him?" the doctor inquired, as he knelt by thestricken lad and felt his pulse.

  Charley told him briefly.

  "Very good," the doctor commented. "Probably he would have died beforenow but for those aids. He is pretty far gone but maybe we can pull himaround."

  He laid off his coat and went to work. From his case he produced ahypodermic syringe and a box of tablets. "Some warm water and a spoon,"he requested.

  Chris was instantly at his side with the required articles.

  He filled the spoon with warm water and dropped one of the tablets intoit. It colored the water a beautiful scarlet.

  "Permanganate of potash," he explained. "You fishermen ought to keepsome always by you. It's invaluable in cases of snake-bites or otherpoisonous wounds."

  He filled his syringe from the spoon and baring Walter's arm injectedit into a vein.

  "I expect your warm water treatment has drawn most of the poison fromthe wound, but we had better be on the safe side," he observed.

  He partly filled a basin with warm water and dissolved another of thetablets in it. Then, with his keen, surgeon's lancet, he cut open theflesh around the puncture, washed it out thoroughly with the solution,and then bound it up in soft, white gauze.

  "That is all we can do, now, but watch," he observed, when he hadfinished.

  He sat down with Walter's wrist in his hand and waited the effect ofthe treatment.

  "He is responding to the injection nobly," he said at last. "His pulseis getting quicker and his skin is becoming moist. Evidently there isnot as much poison in the blood as I feared. Your prompt action hasundoubtedly saved his life."

  In half an hour he gave another injection and watched the result withsatisfaction.

  "Your friend is going to come out all right," he declared, cheerily.

  A wave of relief swept over Charley. "We can never fully pay you forwhat you have done," he said, with a lump in his throat. "Money cannever square the debt."

  "That's all right," said the young doctor, heartily. "It's a matter ofmore than mere pay to most of us doctors when we are able to save avaluable life. I can do no more for your friend at present, but I'llleave some tablets with you to give him from time to time. I think thedanger is over, although he will be a pretty sick boy for a couple ofdays from the reaction of the liquor and drugs he has taken, as well asfrom the poison itself, but with good nursing, he will pull through allright."

  Counting out some tiny tablets, he gave them to Charley, seized hishat and case, and with a cheery "good night" opened the door anddisappeared in the darkness.

  He had been gone a full five minutes before Charley recalled that inhis anxiety for his chum he had forgotten to ask his name or the amountof his bill.

  "Not very polite, but the captain will find that out," he consoledhimself. "I wonder why the captain did not come up with him. I supposethe dear old chap could not bear the sight of Walter's lying sodeath-like. Chris, make up some more good, strong coffee and cook somebreakfast. The captain's going to be all worn out when he gets back."

  Daylight was near at hand and with it came the old sailor, lookingpale, worn and haggard in the morning light.

  "Is Walter dead?" he greeted, in a trembling, anxious voice.

  Charley laughed in sheer joyousness. "Dead nothing," he exulted. "He'sgetting better every minute. Why, didn't the doctor tell you that?"

  "I couldn't find the doctor," said the old sailor, in relief. "Therewas none in Clearwater. I got up the telegraph agent and got him totelegraph to Tarpon Springs for one. He'll come on the noon train. Itwas the best I could do. I waited to hear from the telegram, that'swhat's kept me so long."

  Charley stared at him. "Do you mean that you did not bring over thedoctor that was here?"

  "Are you crazy or am I?" demanded the old sailor. "What do you mean?"

  "There was a doctor came about an hour after you left," said Charley,slowly. "He staid at least two hours. He gave Walter medicine which haspulled him through. He only left about an hour ago."

  It was the captain's turn to stare. "I'll be jiggered," he said in awe,"and I saw no motor boat going or coming. Who was he, and how in theworld did he know we needed him?"

  Charley shook his head. "I'll give it up," he said. "However, he'll beback again and will solve the mystery."

  But the doctor did not reappear. However, the noon train brought aphysician from Tarpon Springs. Charley, who, by daylight, had easilyfound and repaired the engine break, went over in the launch and gothim.

  The new doctor was visi
bly annoyed when he examined Walter. "I do notunderstand why I was called on this case," he said, shortly. "The boyis out of all danger. He has had skilful treatment, most skilfultreatment. I would not have come had I known there was already a doctorin charge."

  Charley explained the circumstances.

  "Your description fits, perfectly, Doctor Thompson of Tarpon Springs,"the new doctor observed. "Did he have a finger missing on the lefthand?"

  "He did, the second finger," said Charley, recalling the circumstance.

  The doctor studied the lad's face closely, started to speak, butchecked himself.

  He was silent during all the trip back to Clearwater but after he gotout of the launch he turned and faced Charley.

  "Young man," he said, coldly, "I do not know what your object was intelling me that string of lies, but I want to impress upon you that youhave not deceived me."

  Charley stared at him in hurt astonishment.

  "Doctor Thompson dined with me last night," said the physician, icily."We sat together after and talked in my study until one o'clock. At twoo'clock, you say, he was at your camp, an impossible thing for TarponSprings is twenty miles away."

  With a curt nod he turned and strode up the dock leaving behind him anoffended, astonished, mystified boy.