“It is.  I’m glad I come.  He said I’d be glad, but I didn’t believe him.  I didn’t know,” said Patsy Kelly, with a sigh of satisfaction.  “I had mate and pitaty for breakfast the morn,” he added, and rapture shone out of his eyes.

By the side of Jamie Ferguson Dr. John Leaver was telling a story.  He was apparently telling it to Dr. Burns, who listened with great interest, but at the same time shy Jamie Ferguson was listening too.  There were curious points in the story when the narrator turned to the boy in the bed and inquired, smiling:  “Could you do that, Jamie?” to which questions Jamie usually replied in the negative.  They were mostly questions concerning backs and legs and hips, and the boy in the story seemed to find difficulty in using his, too, which made Jamie feel a strong interest in him.  Altogether it was a fascinating tale.  When it was over the two men walked away together down the slope, and between them passed other questions and answers, of a sort which Jamie could not have understood.

Down by the gate Leaver came to a pause, nodding his head in a thoughtful way.  “You are quite right, I believe, both in your conclusions and in your plan for operation.  I should go ahead without further delay than is necessary to get him into a bit better condition.”

“I thought you would agree with me,” Burns replied.  “I’m gratified that you do.  But I’m not going to operate.  I’ve got a better man:  Leaver, of Baltimore.”

The other turned quickly.  A strange look swept over his face.

“I told you my decision about that,” he said.

“I know you did.  But I told you some time ago about this case, and warned you that it was your case.  I haven’t changed my mind.”

Leaver shook his head.  “I haven’t changed mine, either.  But I didn’t know this was the case you meant.  If I had I shouldn’t have gone to examining it without an invitation.”

“You had an invitation.  That was what I got you out here this morning for.  I didn’t bring you myself because I didn’t want you steeling yourself against looking into it, as you would if I had told you about it on the way out.  My plan worked all right.  The minute you saw the child your instincts and training got the better of your caution.  That’s what they’ll continue to do if you give them a chance.  See here, you don’t mean to quit your profession and take to carpentry, do you?”

“I expect to practise medicine,” Leaver said, and there was a queer setting of his lips as he said it.

“Medicine!  You?  Jack, you couldn’t do it.”

“Couldn’t I?  I don’t know that I could.”  He drew a half shuddering breath.  “But I can try, somewhere, if not in Baltimore.”

“I’d like to thrash you!” cried Red Pepper Burns, and he looked it.  “Standing there the picture of a healthy man and telling me you’re going to take to doling out pills and writing prescriptions....  See here.  We’ve put in a little surgery up there in the north wing, it’s a peach of a place.  Come and see it.”