'Hallo, Jerrie! hallo, Hal!' he cried, dismounting quickly and throwing
the bridle-rein over his arm. 'And so you are off to that suit?' he
continued, addressing himself to Harold. 'By George, I wish I were a
witness. I'd swear the old man's head off; for, upon my soul, I believe
he is an old liar?' Then turning to Jerrie, he continued: 'Are you
better than you were this morning? Upon my word, you look worse. It's
that infernal watching last night that ails you. I told mother you ought
not to do it.'
Just then a whistle was heard in the distance; the train was at
Truesdale, four miles away.
'You will never catch it,' Tom said, as Harold snatched up his bag and
started to run, 'Here, jump on to Beaver, and leave him at the station.
I can go there for him.'
Harold knew it was impossible for him to make time against the train,
and, accepting Tom's offer, he vaulted into the saddle and galloped
rapidly away, reaching the station just in time to give his horse to the
care of a boy and to leap upon the train as it was moving away.
Meanwhile Tom walked on with Jerrie to the cottage, where he would have
stopped if she had not said to him:
'I would ask you to come in, but my head is aching so badly that I must
go straight to bed.
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