The next day found Philip improving more rapidly than Mrs. Strong had thought possible.  She forbade him the sight of all callers, however, and insisted that he must keep quiet.  His wounds were healing satisfactorily, and when the surgeon called he expressed himself much pleased with his patient’s appearance.

“Say, doctor, do you really think it would set me back any to think a little?”

“No.  I never heard of thinking hurting people; I have generally considered it a healthy habit.”

“The reason I asked,” continued Philip, gravely, “was because my wife absolutely forbade it, and I was wondering how long I could keep it up and fool anybody.”

“That’s a specimen of his stubbornness, doctor,” said the minister’s wife, smiling.  “Why, only a few minutes before you came in he was insisting that he could preach to-morrow.  Think of it!—­a man with a shattered shoulder, who would have to stand on one leg and do all his gesturing with his left hand; a man who can’t preach without the use of seven or eight arms, and as many pockets, and has to walk up and down the platform like a lion when he gets started on his delivery!  And yet he wants to preach to-morrow!  He’s that stubborn that I don’t know as I can keep him at home.  You would better leave some powders to put him to sleep, and we will keep him in a state of unconsciousness until Monday morning.”

“Now, doctor, just listen to me a while.  Mrs. Strong is talking for two women, as she agreed to do, and that puts me in a hard position.  But I want to know how soon I can get to work again.”

“You will have to lie there a month,” said the doctor, bluntly.

“Impossible!  I never lied that time in my life!” said Philip, soberly.

“It would serve him right to perform a surgical operation on him for that, wouldn’t it, Mrs. Strong?” the surgeon appealed to her.

“I think he deserves the worst you can do, doctor.”

“But say, dear people, I can’t stay here a month.  I must be about my Master’s business.  What will the church do for supplies?”

“Don’t worry, Philip.  The church will take care of that.”

But Philip was already eager to get to work.  Only the assurance of the surgeon that he might possibly get out a little over three weeks satisfied him.  Sunday came and passed.  Some one from a neighboring town who happened to be visiting in Milton occupied the pulpit, and Philip had a quiet, restful day.  He started in the week determined to beat the doctor’s time for recovery; and, having a remarkably strong constitution and a tremendous will, he bade fair to be limping about the house in two weeks.  His shoulder wound healed very fast.  His knee bothered him, and it seemed likely that he would go lame for a long time.  But he was not concerned about that if only he could go about in any sort of fashion once more.