CHAPTER XVIII

A CRY OF FIRE

Jerry looked sharply at Ned. The same thought was in the minds of both--would they have money enough to pay the doctor, in case it should be found that Bob was badly hurt, and needed a complicated operation?

Then Jerry smiled. Of course, even though the skill of the celebrated surgeon was required, he would not have to be paid at once. And Bob’s father was wealthy. After all, there was no need for worry, save as to Bob himself.

And this was soon dispelled, for Miss Payson, which, the clerk said, was the name of the doctor’s head nurse, soon came down to relieve the anxiety of the boys.

“How’s Bob?” Jerry asked her impulsively.

“All right,” she answered with a smile. “He has only a scalp wound.”

“Then his skull isn’t fractured?” asked Andy, excitedly.

“Bless your heart, no! The doctor will soon have him very comfortable, and then I’ll stay with him to-night.”

“Oh, but we can’t think of letting you do that!” cried Ned.

“Indeed!” and Miss Payson elevated her eyebrows, and smiled at the eager lad. “I fancy you’ll have to,” she said. “Dr. Wright isn’t in the habit of having his orders disobeyed, and he has told me to look after the patient to-night.”

“Oh, but that’s too bad!” burst out Jerry. “Just when you are on your vacation, too.”

“Oh, well, it doesn’t so much matter,” said the nurse, genially. “As long as we have taken the case we will see it through. That’s Dr. Wright’s way.”

“Is it--is it serious?” asked Andy.

“Oh, not at all. You boys can stand harder bumps on the head than you imagine. If concussion doesn’t develop your friend will be up and about in a few days.”

“That’s good,” returned Jerry, for though there was no special need for haste, still he wanted to get in touch with Professor Snodgrass as soon as possible.

“Now I must go back,” said the nurse. “I just came down to relieve your anxiety.”

“Thank you,” rejoined Jerry.

“Say, you fellows are in luck,” the clerk informed them when Miss Payson was gone. “You’ve got a combination, in that nurse and doctor, that many a millionaire would be glad to have.”

“Yes?” questioned Ned.

“Surest thing you know,” went on the hotel man. “Dr. Wright is a specialist whom even European physicians are glad to consult.”

“Well, as long as we had to have someone, it might as well be the best,” said Jerry. “Bob’s father can afford it, at any rate.”

“Maybe he won’t charge you so much, seeing he is on his vacation,” suggested Andy.

“He’ll probably charge more,” declared the clerk. “Say, he earns more by one operation than I do in a year.”

“But look how long it took him to study and qualify for the work he does,” suggested Ned. “Is he only a specialist on injuries to the head?”

“That’s what he takes up most,” the clerk informed the boys, “though of course he must know about all kinds of doctoring.”

Jerry and his chums decided to put up at the hotel for the night, since it could not be told how long they would have to remain.

When they had been assigned to their rooms, and had seen to the putting away of the auto in a garage connected with the hotel, they sat in the lobby, waiting for Miss Payson to tell them how Bob was progressing.

They soon received good news. The nurse approached them with a smiling face, and said:

“He’s conscious now.”

“May we see him?” asked impulsive Andy.

“Oh, no, indeed! Not until morning,” was her quick answer. “He needs rest and quiet. He had a bad fall, but not a serious one. He will be lame and sore for a day or two. I’ll look after him.”

“Tell him we’re here, so he won’t worry,” suggested Jerry, and the nurse promised.

“Well, boys, it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be,” said Dr. Wright a little later, when he had laid aside his sick-room habiliments, and joined them in the lobby. “It’s only a big cut. Let me see, I don’t believe you told me who he is.”

“His name is Bob Baker,” said Jerry, “and if you will send your bill to his father I know----”

“Tut! Tut!” interrupted the physician with a laugh. “This is no time to talk about bills. I am only too glad that I was able to serve you in the emergency. Any doctor would be. I was getting a bit out of practice, anyhow. I haven’t had a patient in nearly a week,” and he laughed genially.

Miss Payson remained with Bob all night, though he needed little attention, for he slept heavily. In the morning he was much improved; but Dr. Wright said he must not be moved for at least two days, or until all danger of brain concussion was passed.

“Did I get that lizard?” asked the stout lad when, in due time, he was allowed to sit up in bed and receive his chums.

“We didn’t stop to look,” replied Jerry, with a laugh.

“Too bad,” said Bob slowly. “It might have been just what Professor Snodgrass was looking for. I say, how long before we’re going on with the trip?”

“Oh, you’ll soon be able to travel,” said Miss Payson with a smile. “You boys are the most wonderful creatures in the world. You get knocks that would almost kill a grown person, and you come up smiling every time. I wish I were a boy.”

“I wish so, too!” exclaimed Bob with enthusiasm, for he and his chums had taken a great liking to the young and pretty nurse. She told them she had been with Dr. Wright for some time, and, when he found he needed a vacation he insisted on taking her with him, in addition to his sister and a man servant.

“I guess he must be pretty rich,” said Bob, when he was alone with his chums. “Dad will have a steep bill on my account.”

“Don’t worry,” advised Ned.

“I’m not,” laughed the stout lad. “Dad is able to meet it, and I guess he thinks I’m worth it--at least I hope so.”

Jerry was glad _his_ mother did not have a heavy doctor’s bill to meet, for, in the present state of Mrs. Hopkins’s finances, it would have embarrassed her very much.

“But if I can only get back that clay land we’ll be all right,” said Jerry.

He had spoken casually of the new medicated clay put out by the Universal Plaster Company, and Dr. Wright had heard him.

“That certainly is wonderful stuff!” said the celebrated physician. “I have tried it on some of my cases. It is a wonder no one ever thought before of using it. It works like magic. There is a fortune in it for the promoters.”

Jerry did not tell the doctor that the clay came from land which had once been owned by Mrs. Hopkins.

Bob was well enough, on the third day, to be up, and two days later permission was given to him to travel, if too great a speed was not maintained.

“You must go a bit slow with him at first,” Dr. Wright informed the boys. “He is out of all danger, however, and I wish you good luck on the rest of your trip. I have heard of Professor Snodgrass. He is a wonderful scientist in his line.”

“Are you going to remain here long?” asked Jerry.

“Yes, I shall stay until I get thoroughly rested. It is a quiet place, just what I need, and I don’t imagine I shall have any more emergency calls,” and the great doctor smiled.

He little realized, nor did the boys, how soon they would have need of his services again.

Bearing in mind the injunction of the physician as to speed, Jerry did not try to make fast time in the auto, once they were under way again. They had said good-bye to Dr. Wright and his friends at the hotel, and again were headed toward the mountains. Two days more of leisurely travel would bring them to Silver River, where they expected to take to the motor boat and in it sail up Lake Mogan to where Professor Snodgrass was camping, and looking for the two-tailed lizard.

Without further incident, or accident, they came, one evening, to the town of Waydell, at the head of the river. It was to this place they had shipped the boat, and they had received, en route, a postal from the man they had engaged to put it in the water for them, the postal stating that the craft had arrived safely, and would be waiting for them.

“Let’s go down and have a look at her,” suggested Jerry, after their supper at the hotel, where they arranged to leave their auto until they came cruising back.

The _Scud_ was in the boathouse, taking up considerable of the available space, for the boys’ new craft was a large one.

“Does she run all right?” asked Ned.

“Fine!” said the man in charge of the boathouse. “We had her out for a spin, and she passed everything on the river.”

The boys, who had adjoining rooms in the hotel, were awakened in the middle of the night by a commotion in the street.

“What is it?” asked Ned, for Bob got up to look from the window.

“Sounds like a cry of fire,” was the answer. “It is!” exclaimed Bob, a moment later.

“Is it the hotel?” demanded Ned, leaping out of bed to join his chum Jerry.

“Doesn’t seem so. They’re all running toward the river.”

A moment later they heard someone in the street ask:

“Where’s the blaze?”

“Down at Kroll’s boathouse,” was the reply. “The whole place is going!”

“Kroll’s boathouse!” cried Ned. “Come on, fellows! That’s where the _Scud_ is tied up!”