Ted and the Telephone Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  MR. LAURIE

  The visits of Laurie during the following two weeks became veryfrequent; and such pleasure did they afford him that orders were issuedfor Ted Turner to knock off work each day at four o'clock and return tothe shack, where almost invariably he found his new acquaintanceawaiting him. It was long since Laurie Fernald had had a person of hisown age to talk with. In fact, he had never before seen a lad whosefriendship he desired. Most boys were so well and strong that they hadno conception of what it meant not to be so, and their very robustnessand vitality overwhelmed a personality as sensitively attuned as wasthat of Laurie Fernald. He shrank from their pity, their blunderingsympathy, their patronage.

  But in Ted Turner he immediately felt he had nothing to dread. He mighthave been a Marathon athlete, so far as any hint to the contrary went.Ted appeared never to notice his disability or to be conscious of anydifference in their physical equipment; and when, as sometimeshappened, he stooped to arrange a pillow, or lift the wheel-chair overthe threshold, he did it so gently and yet in such a matter-of-factmanner that one scarcely noticed it. They were simply eager, alert,bubbling, interested boys together, and as the effect of the friendshipshowed itself in Laurie's shining eyes, all the Fernalds encouraged it.

  "Why, that young Turner is doing Laurie more good than a dozendoctors!" asserted Grandfather Fernald. "If he did no work on the farmat all, Ted would be worth his wages. Money can't pay for what he hasdone already. I'm afraid Laurie has been missing young friends morethan we realized. He never complains and perhaps we did not suspect howlonely he was."

  Mr. Clarence nodded.

  "Older people are pretty stupid about children sometimes, I guess,"said he sadly. "Well, he has Ted Turner now and certainly he is asplendid boy for him to be with. Laurie's tutor, Mr. Hazen, likes himtremendously. What a blessing it is that Wharton stumbled on him andbrought him up here. Had we searched the countryside I doubt if wecould have found any one Laurie would have liked so much. He doesn'tcare especially for strangers."

  With the Fernald's sanction behind the friendship, and both Laurie'stutor and his doctor urging it on, you may be sure it thrivedvigorously. The boys were naturally companionable and now, with everybarrier out of the way, and every fostering influence provided, the twosoon found themselves on terms of genuine affection.

  If Laurie went for a motor ride Saturday afternoon, Ted must go, too;if he had a new book, Ted must share it, and when he was not as well asusual, or it was too stormy for him to be carried to the shack, nothingwould do but Ted Turner must be summoned to Pine Lea to brighten thedreariness of the day. Soon the servants came to know the newcomer andunderstand that he was a privileged person in the household. Laurie'smother, a pretty Southern woman, welcomed him kindly and it was notlong before the two were united in a deep and affectionate conspiracywhich placed them on terms of the greatest intimacy.

  "Laurie isn't quite so well this afternoon, Ted," Mrs. Fernald wouldsay. "Don't let him get too excited or talk too much." Or sometimes itwas, "Laurie had a bad night last night and is dreadfully discouragedto-day. Do try and cheer him up."

  Not infrequently Mr. Hazen would voice an appeal:

  "I haven't been able to coax Laurie to touch his French lesson thismorning. Don't you want to see if you can't get him started on it?He'll do anything for you."

  And when Ted did succeed in getting the lesson learned, and not onlythat but actually made an amusing game out of it, how grateful Mr.Hazen was!

  For with all his sweetness Laurie Fernald had a stubborn streak in hisnature which the volume of attention he had received had only served toaccentuate. He was not really spoiled but there were times when hewould do as he pleased, whether or no; and when such a mood came to thesurface, no one but Ted Turner seemed to have any power against it.Therefore, when it occasionally chanced that Laurie refused to see thedoctor, or would not take his medicine, or insisted on getting up whentold to lie in bed, Ted was made an ally and urged to promote the thingthat made for the invalid's health and well-being.

  After being admitted into the family circle on such confidential terms,it followed that absolute equality was accorded Ted and he came andwent freely, both at Aldercliffe and Pine Lea. He read with Laurie,lunched with him, followed his lessons; and listened to his plans, hispleasures, and his disappointments. Perhaps, too, Laurie Fernald likedand respected him the more that he had duties to perform and thereforewas not always free to come at his beck and call as did everybody else.

  "I shan't be able to get round to see you to-day, old chap," Ted wouldexplain over the telephone. "There is a second crop of peas to plant inthe further lot and as Mr. Stevens is short of men, I'm going to duffin and help, even if it isn't my job. Of course I want to do my bitwhen they are in a pinch. I'll see you to-morrow."

  And although Laurie grumbled a good deal, he recognized the presentneed, and becoming interested in the matter in spite of himself, wishedto hear the following day all about the planting. That he shouldinquire greatly delighted both his father and his grandfather who hadalways been anxious that he should come into touch with the managementof the estates. Often they had tried to talk to him of crops andgardens, plowing and planting, but to the subject the heir had lentmerely a deaf ear. Now with Ted Turner's advent had come a newinfluence, the testimony of one who was practically interested inagricultural problems and thought farming anything but dull. The boywas genuinely eager that the work of the men should be a success andtherefore when he hoped for fair weather for the haying and it seemedto make a real difference to him whether it was pleasant or not, howcould Laurie help being eager that it should not rain until the fieldswere mowed and the crop garnered into the great barns? Or when Ted wasworrying about the pests that invaded the garden, one wouldn't havebeen a true friend not to ask how the warfare was progressing.

  Before Laurie knew it, he had learned much about the affairs of theestates and had become awake to the obstacles good farmers encounter intheir strife with soil and weather conditions. As a result his outlookbroadened, he became less introspective and more alive to the concernsof those about him; and he gained a new respect for his father's andgrandfather's employees. One had much less time to be depressed anddiscouraged when one had so many things to think of.

  Sometimes Ted brought in seeds and showed them; and afterward a slenderplant that had sprouted; and then Mr. Hazen would join in and tell thetwo boys of other plants,--strange ones that grew in novel ways. Orperhaps the talk led to the chemicals the gardeners were mixing withthe soil and wandered off into science. Every topic seemed to reach sofar and led into such fascinating mazes of knowledge! What a surprisingplace the world was!

  Of course, had the Fernalds so desired they could have relieved Ted ofall his farming duties, and indeed they were sorely tempted at times todo so; but when they saw how much better it was to keep the boy'svisits a novelty instead of making of them a commonplace event, andsensed how much knowledge he was bringing into the invalid's room, theydecided to let matters progress as they were going. They did, however,arrange occasional holidays for the lad and many a jolly outing did Tedhave in consequence. Had they displayed less wisdom they might havewrecked the friendship altogether. As it was they strengthened it dailyand the little shack among the pines became to both Ted and to Lauriethe most loved spot in the world. Frequently the servants from Pine Leasurprised the boys by bringing them their luncheon there; and sometimesMrs. Fernald herself came hither with her tea-basket, and the entirefamily sat about before the great stone fireplace and enjoyed a picnicsupper.

  It was after one of these camping teas that Mr. Clarence Fernald boughtfor Laurie a comfortable Adirondack canoe luxuriously fitted up withcushions. The stream before the boathouse was broad and containedlittle or no current except down toward Pine Lea, where it narrowedinto rapids that swept over the dam at Freeman's Falls. Therefore ifone kept along the edges of the upper part of the river, there was nodanger and the canoe afforded a delightful recreation. Bo
th the elderFernalds and Mr. Hazen rowed well and Ted pulled an exceptionallystrong oar for a boy of his years. Hence they took turns at propellingthe boat and soon Laurie was as much at home on the pillows in thestern as he was in his wheel-chair.

  He greatly enjoyed the smooth, jarless motion of the craft; and often,even when it was anchored at the float, he liked to be lifted into itand lie there rocking with the wash of the river. It made a changewhich he declared rested him, and it was through this simple andapparently harmless pleasure that a terrible catastrophe took place.

  On a fine warm afternoon Mr. Hazen and Laurie went over to the shack tomeet Ted who usually returned from work shortly after four o'clock. Thedoor of the little camp was wide open when they arrived but their hostwas nowhere to be seen. This circumstance did not trouble them,however, for on the days when Laurie was expected Ted always left theboathouse unlocked. What did disconcert them and make Laurie impatientwas to discover that through some error in reckoning they were almostan hour too early.

  "Our clocks must have been ahead of time," fretted the boy. "We shallhave to hang round here the deuce of a while."

  "Wouldn't you like me to wheel you back through the grove?" questionedthe tutor.

  "Oh, there's no use in that. Suppose you get out the pillows and helpme into the boat. I'll lie there a while and rest."

  "All right."

  With a ready smile Mr. Hazen plunged into the shack and soon returnedladen with the crimson cushions, which he arranged in the stern of thecanoe with greatest care. Afterward he picked Laurie up in his arms asif he had been a feather and carried him to the boat.

  "How's that?" he asked, when the invalid was settled.

  "Fine! Great, thanks! You're a wonder with pillows, Mr. Hazen; youalways get them just right," replied the lad. "Now if I only had mybook----"

  "I could go and get it."

  "Oh, no. Don't bother. Ted will be here before long, won't he? Whattime is it?"

  "About half-past three."

  "Only half-past three! Great Scott! I thought it must be nearly four bythis time. Then I have quite a while to wait, don't I? I don't see whyyou got me over here so early."

  "I don't either," returned Mr. Hazen pleasantly. "I'm afraid my watchmust have been wrong."

  Laurie moved restlessly on the pillows. He had passed a wretched nightand was worn and nervous in consequence.

  "I guess perhaps you'd better run back to the house for my book,"remarked he presently. "I shall be having a fit of the blues if I haveto hang round here so long with nothing to do."

  "I'm perfectly willing to go back," Mr. Hazen said. "But are yousure----"

  "Oh, I'm all right," cut in the boy sharply. "I guess I can sit in aboat by myself for a little while."

  "Still, I'm not certain that I ought to----"

  "Leave me? Nonsense! What do you think I am, Hazen? A baby? What onearth is going to happen to me, I'd like to know?"

  "Nevertheless I don't like to----"

  "Oh, do stop arguing. It makes me tired. Cut along and get the book,can't you? Why waste all this time fussing?" burst out the invalidfretfully. "How am I ever going to get well, or think I am well, if youkeep reminding me every minute that I am a helpless wreck? It is enoughto discourage anybody. Why can't you treat me like other people? If youchose to sit in a boat alone for half an hour nobody'd throw a fit. Whycan't I?"

  "I suppose you can," retorted the tutor unwillingly. "Only you know wenever do----"

  "Leave me? Don't I know it? The way people tag at my heels drives mealmost crazy sometimes. You wouldn't like to have some one dogging yourfootsteps from morning until night, would you?"

  "I'm afraid I shouldn't," admitted Mr. Hazen.

  For an interval Laurie was silent; then he glanced up with one of hisswift, appealing smiles.

  "There, there, Mr. Hazen!" he said with winning sincerity. "Forgive me.I didn't mean to be cross. I do get so fiendishly impatient sometimes.How you can keep on being so kind to me I don't see. Do please go andget the book, like a good chap. It's on the chair in my room or else onthe library table. You'll find it somewhere. 'Treasure Island,' youknow. I had to leave it in the middle of a most exciting chapter and Iam crazy to know how it came out."

  Reluctantly Mr. Hazen moved away. It was very hard to resist LaurieFernald when he was in his present mood; besides, the young tutor wasgenuinely fond of his charge and would far rather gratify his wishesthan refuse him anything. Therefore he hurried off through the grove,resolving to return as fast as ever he could.

  In the meantime Laurie threw his head back on the pillows and looked upat the sky. How blue it was and how lazily the clouds drifted by! Wasany spot on earth so still as this? Why, you could not hear a sound! Heyawned and closed his eyes, the fatigue of his sleepless nightovercoming him. Soon he was lost in dreams.

  * * * * *

  He never could tell just what it was that aroused him; perhaps it was apremonition of danger, perhaps the rocking of the boat. At any rate hewas suddenly broad awake to find himself drifting out into the middleof the stream. In some way the boat must have become unfastened and therising breeze carried it away from shore. Not that it mattered verymuch now. The thing that was of consequence was that he was helplesslydrifting down the river with no means of staying his progress. Soon hewould be caught in the swirl of the current and then there would be nohelp for him. What was he to do?

  Must he lie there and be borne along until he was at last carried overthe dam at his father's mills?

  He saw no escape from such a fate! There was not a soul in sight. Thebanks of the river were entirely deserted, for the workmen were faraway, toiling in the fields and gardens, and they could not hear himeven were he to shout his loudest. As for Mr. Hazen, he was probablystill at Pine Lea searching for the book and wouldn't be back for sometime.

  The boy's heart sank and he quivered with fear. Must he be drownedthere all alone? Was there no one to aid him?

  Thoroughly terrified, he began to scream. But his screams only reechoedfrom the silent river banks. No one heard and no one came.

  He was in the current of the stream now and moving rapidly along.Faster and faster he went. Yes, he was going to be swept on toFreeman's Falls, going to be carried over the dam and submerged beneaththat hideous roar of water that foamed down on the jagged rocks in aboiling torrent of noise and spray. Nobody would know his plight untilthe catastrophe was over; and even should any of the mill hands catchsight of his frail craft as it sped past it would be too late for themto help him. Before a boat could be launched and rescuers summoned hewould be over the falls.

  Yes, he was going to die, _to die_!

  Again he screamed, this time less with a thought of calling for helpthan as a protest against the fate awaiting him. To his surprise heheard an answering shout and a second later saw Ted Turner dash throughthe pines, pause on the shore, and scan the stream. Another instant andthe boy had thrown off his coat and shoes and was in the water,swimming toward the boat with quick, overhand strokes.

  He heard an answering shout and a second later saw TedTurner dash through the pines. _Page_ 88.]

  "Keep perfectly still, Laurie!" he panted. "You're all right. Justdon't get fussed."

  Yet cheering as were the words, they could not conceal the fact thatTed was frightened, terribly frightened.

  The canoe gained headway with the increasing current. It seemed now toleap along. And in just the proportion that its progress wasaccelerated, the speed of the pursuer lessened. It seemed as if Tedwould never overtake his prize. How they raced one another, the bobbingcraft and the breathless boy! Ted Turner was a strong swimmer but thecanoe with its solitary occupant was so light that it shot over thesurface of the water like a feather.

  Was the contest to be a losing one, after all?

  Laurie, looking back at the wake of the boat, saw Ted's arm move slowerand slower and suddenly a wave of realization of the other's dangercame upon him. They might both be drowne
d,--two of them instead of one!

  "Give it up, old man!" he called bravely. "Don't try any more. You maygo down yourself and I should have to die with that misery on my soul.You've done your best. It's all right. Just let me go! I'm not afraid."

  There was no answer from the swimmer but he did not stop. On thecontrary, he kept stubbornly on, plowing with mechanical persistencethrough the water. Then at length he, too, was in the current and wasgaining surely and speedily. Presently he was only a length away fromthe boat--he was nearer--nearer! His arm touched the stern and LaurieFernald caught his hand in a firm grip. There he hung, breathingheavily.

  "I've simply got to stop a second or two and get my wind," said he."Then we'll start back."

  "Ted!"

  "There are no oars, of course, but I can tie the rope around my body orperhaps catch it between my teeth. The canoe isn't heavy, you know.After we get out of the current and into quiet water, we shall have notrouble. We can cut straight across the stream and the distance toshore won't be great. I can do it all right."

  And do it he did, just how neither of the lads could have told.

  Nevertheless he did contrive to bring the boat and Laurie with it to aplace of safety. Shoulder-deep in the water stood the frenzied Mr.Hazen who had plunged in to meet them and drag them to land. They hadcome so far down the river that when the canoe was finally beached theyfound themselves opposite the sweeping lawns of Pine Lea.

  Ted and the tutor were chilled and exhausted and Laurie was weak fromfright and excitement. It did not take long, you may be sure, to summonhelp and bundle the three into a motor car which carried them to PineLea. Once there the invalid was put to bed and Mr. Hazen and Tedequipped with dry garments.

  "I shall get the deuce from the Fernalds for this!" commented the youngtutor gloomily to Ted. "If it had not been for you, that boy wouldcertainly have been drowned. Ugh! It makes me shudder to think of it!Had anything happened to him, I believe his father and grandfatherwould have lynched me."

  "Oh, Laurie is going to take all the blame," replied Ted, making anattempt to comfort the dejected young man. "He told me so himself."

  "That's all very well," rejoined Mr. Hazen, "but it won't help much. Ishouldn't have left him. I had no right to do it, no matter what hesaid. I suppose the boat wasn't securely tied. It couldn't have been.Then the breeze came up. Goodness knows how the thing actuallyhappened. I can't understand it now. But the point is, it did. Jove!I'm weak as a rag! I guess there can't be much left of you, Ted."

  "Oh, I'm all right now," protested Ted. "What got me was the fright ofit. I didn't mind the swimming, for I've often crossed the river andback during my morning plunge. My work keeps me in pretty goodtraining. But to-day I got panicky and my breath gave out. I was soafraid I wouldn't overtake the boat before----"

  "I know!" interrupted the tutor with a shiver. "Well, it is all overnow, thank God! You were a genuine hero and I shall tell the Fernaldsso."

  "Stuff! Don't tell them at all. What's the use of harrowing theirfeelings all up now that the thing is past and done with?"

  "But Laurie--he is all done up and they will be at a loss to accountfor it," objected Mr. Hazen. "Besides, the servants saw us come ashoreand have probably already spread the story all over the place. Andanyhow, I believe in being perfectly aboveboard. You do yourself, youknow that. So I shall tell them the whole thing precisely as ithappened. Afterward they'll probably fire me."

  "No, they won't! Cheer up!"

  "I deserve to be fired, too," went on the young tutor without heedingthe interruption. "I ought not to have left Laurie an instant."

  "Perhaps not. But you won't do it again."

  "You bet I won't!" cried Mr. Hazen boyishly.

  It subsequently proved that Mr. Hazen knew far more of his employersthan did Ted, for after the story was told only the pleas of the youngrescuer availed to soften the sentence imposed.

  "He's almighty sorry, Mr. Fernald," asserted Ted Turner. "Don't tip himout. Give him a second try. He won't ever do it again."

  "W--e--ll, for your sake I will," Mr. Clarence said, yieldingreluctantly to the pleading of the lad who sat opposite. "It would behard for me to deny you anything after what you've done. You've savedour boy's life. We never shall forget it, never. But Hazen can thankyou for his job--not me."

  And so, as a result of Ted's intercession, Mr. Hazen stayed on. Infact, as Mr. Clarence said, they could deny the lad nothing. It seemedas if the Fernalds never could do enough for him. Grandfather Fernaldgave him a new watch with an illuminated face; and quite unknown to anyone, Laurie's father opened a bank account to his credit, depositing asubstantial sum as a "starter."

  But the best of the whole thing was that Laurie turned to Ted with adeeper and more earnest affection and the foundation was laid for astrong and enduring friendship.