"It isn't quite as fancy as mine, but it's exactly as good for riding:
yes, it's a real good bicycle, Johnny. How I wish my ankle was well!
We'd go right off to ride together."
"I'll go right down now, and see Dick about your boat," said Johnny;
"and then you can amuse yourself this afternoon, rigging it. I saw him,
and asked him if he should be at the shop this afternoon; and he said,
'Yes, come down,' and I said I would."
*CHAPTER VI.*
*TWO LESSONS FROM NATURE.*
After his first terror over the prospect of having Felix with him for
three months, Johnny got on very well with his cousin. Although it was
evident Felix had been accustomed to be very wilful and disobedient
towards his seniors, and overbearing, with his companions, the respect
with which his uncle's decided yet friendly manner inspired him, and
Mrs. Le Bras' firm though mild manners, held his forwardness and
self-will well in check. He soon began to appreciate the advantage,
also, of having a boy like Johnny for a companion; he had never before
had the benefit of a constant companion; and the boys with whom he had
been accustomed to associate were more or less undisciplined, like
himself, ready to be offended and quarrel at the first provocation. It
would have been very difficult to quarrel with Johnny, because he never
gave any ground for offence himself, and was not disposed to find any
such ground in the manners of others; the most that he asked was not to
be disturbed in his quiet and studious ways; and there was something in
his gentle and thoughtful manner which impressed even such a reckless
boy as Felix with something like deference and consideration.
About two weeks after Johnny had been presented with his bicycle, and
when he had learned to ride it so well that none but an experienced
wheelman would have noticed that he was a novice, Mr. Le Bras met the
grammar-school teacher who had been Johnny's instructor the past year,
preparatory to his entrance to the high school.
"I see Johnny has become a bicyclist," said Mr. Farnsworth.
"Yes," replied Mr. Le Bras: "what do you think of the amusement?"
"A very good thing for Johnny, and a very bad thing for some other
boys."
"Ah!" replied Mr. Le Bras. "How is that?"
"Why, there is Harrison Brown, for instance: it would be the best thing
for him if he could be wholly deprived of his bicycle for a time, and
then allowed to ride it only Saturdays. That boy's education is all
going into his legs, and all his vigor is going the same way. He rides
his bicycle before school in the morning, at noon, after school at
night, and every Saturday. Now, he is a backward scholar, to begin
with, and this wheeling has just used him up, so far as learning any
thing is concerned: he comes to school all tired out, without enough
life and energy left to even give attention to what the teacher says;
and as to studying, he hardly knows what lesson he is expected to get
from day to day; he sits half asleep and dreaming,--probably dreaming of
his bicycle-rides,--and knows almost nothing of what is going on around
him: he has been a mere figure-head all this year, and is no nearer to
entering the high school than he was a year ago."
"I can see the disadvantage in such a case as that," replied Mr. Le
Bras: "in fact, I have a nephew at my house who is wholly given up to
outdoor sports, fun, etc.; although he is such a vigorous, wide-awake
fellow, that he is not often caught dreaming or asleep: he and Johnny
are having very good counter-influences upon each other, I find; he is
getting Johnny into outdoor exercise more, and Johnny is beginning to
put the idea into Felix's head, that there is some use and interest in
books. I think riding a bicycle is a very good thing for Johnny: he is
so much inclined to sit down and read and study, that we have
apprehended serious danger from it; indeed, the doctor is constantly
warning us to put some stop to it. The teachers have been very kind
about heeding my request to hold him back as much as possible at school,
but we have found it no easy matter at home to keep him from his books.
I hope much from his taking to bicycle-riding."
"A very good thing! a very good thing indeed!" replied Mr. Farnsworth.
"The quickness with which Johnny learns, and his fondness for books, are
extraordinary; considering that, I think we have kept him back pretty
well: a good many quite ordinary scholars get into the high school at
thirteen, provided they have been to school pretty steadily."
"Oh, yes!" returned Mr. Le Bras. "I began to prepare for college at
twelve; but I was very strong and healthy, and exceedingly fond of
outdoor sports. I was fully as well balanced physically as I was
mentally, and that is what I believe in."
"Just so! just so! you've got the right of it: but I can tell you, there
are very few boys who are well balanced nowadays; they are chiefly one
thing or the other,--brains or brawn. But I hope you'll bring Johnny out
all right."
"You know Pierre Stein?" said Mr. Le Bras.
"Pierre? Oh, yes! he's just right, isn't he?"
"I think so. The Germans understand what education should be better
than we do, in some respects. But it is a great pity about his father.
I'm afraid he will not be able to go back to teaching for some time: and
that is bad for Pierre, too, just as he is ready for college; he don't
feel now as though he ought to ask any help from his father. I tell
him, if I were he, I would look out for some employment that would pay
pretty well without confining me too closely, and be studying up to
enter the junior class next year: in that way he will lose no time, and
yet have some money to pay for the next year at college."
"That would be a good idea. What does he say to it?"
"He agrees with me, but don't know where to find such a place. I have
been looking about for him myself, but nothing suitable seems to offer.
I could give him considerable writing in my office, but that would be
bad for him: it would soon use him up to write and study constantly,
although he is ready enough to undertake it. He has been in my office a
good deal, off and on, for several years, out of school-time. You know,
he used to be my office-boy when he was a youngster?"
"Yes: he went to school to me then."
"I am some in hopes," continued Mr. Le Bras, "that my nephew will take a
fancy to him: and if he does, I shall advise my brother to hire Pierre
next year for Felix's tutor; it would be a great thing for Felix, and my
brother is able to pay a young man well for bringing his son into the
traces; he is what we call a spoiled child at present."
"That would be an excellent arrangement, then."
"Yes; and as Pierre is to stay with us while his father and mother are
at the mountains, I hope to bring it about by fall, when my brother gets
back from Europe. In fact, Pierre is coming home with me this noon to
stay: his parents start this morning. Tell Lester to come over and see
him as often as he can."
"I will. Lester and he were always good friends, and Lester will be
very much disappointed that they cannot enter college together this
fall."
Mr. Le Bras and Mr. Farnsworth had now reached the corner, and bade each
other good-morning, as they were going different ways.
Johnny and Felix had gone off on their bicycles after breakfast. They
crossed the river on the long, open bridge, which commanded a fine view
on both sides, and went up the river-road on the other side, until they
came to a hill on the left. The plan had been to go on up the river to
the manufacturing-town above, and visit the carpet-mill there; but when
they came to the hill, Felix said,--
"Let's get off of this level road, and go up on that hill: I want to
show you how to come down hill with your feet in rest."
"I don't believe I should like to try on such a steep hill as that."
"It isn't any thing at all: the hill is just right."
Felix immediately turned, and rode up the hill, which, although quite
long, was not very steep. Johnny hesitated a moment, and then followed,
saying,--
"If we linger on the way very much, we sha'n't be able to visit the mill
and get home before dinner."
"Never mind: all we want is a good time. We can go to the mill some
other time; and I don't much care how carpets are made, so they keep on
making them all right."
Felix was considerably ahead; and when he reached the top of the hill,
he called out,--
"Oh! here's a steeper hill, Johnny! This is just fine! Now I'll show
you!"
When Johnny reached the top of the hill, he saw there was a shorter and
much steeper hill a little way off, in a nearly opposite direction from
the river-road.
"Come, now, Johnny, just try it with me: this is the way."
Felix then told Johnny just how to proceed in going down the hill.
"But I don't like to try, the first time, on such a steep hill," replied
Johnny. "I am about certain I shouldn't have confidence enough to do
just right, and so should lose my balance, or get a header."
"Nonsense!" replied Felix: "I can go down this hill blindfolded. I'll
prove that I can."
Felix immediately alighted from his bicycle, and, taking out his
handkerchief, bound it about his eyes.
"Please don't, Felix," said Johnny anxiously. "I'm afraid you'll get
badly hurt."
Johnny also alighted from his bicycle, for he was resolved not to go
down either of these hills before he had tried some declivity that was
not as steep.
"Oh, ho!" said Felix, mounting his bicycle without any apparent
difficulty, in spite of the bandage. "I didn't suppose you were quite
so much of a coward! Now just see me go down this hill blindfolded."
With this, he glided off, while Johnny stood almost holding his breath
with suspense. Felix went on all right, and in a perfectly straight
course, until he was about half way down the hill. Johnny had begun to
breathe more freely at seeing how well Felix kept the middle of the
road, which was quite even: but all at once he turned to the right, and
the reason was at the same time evident to Johnny; for a heavy team
appeared at that moment, around the turn, coming up the hill. Before
Johnny had time to wonder how his cousin had dodged this danger so well
with the handkerchief over his eyes, Felix was thrown violently forward
from his bicycle, upon the rough surface at the side of the road, which
was covered with bushes, briers, and stones. Johnny uttered a terrified
"Oh!" and, dropping his bicycle, ran down the hill, fearing that Felix
was killed. The teamster at the same time alighted, and hurried towards
the fallen boy. Felix was lying motionless, half covered by the wild
growth about him. As the man had been rather nearer the scene of the
disaster than Johnny, and, having longer legs, could run faster, he was
just lifting Felix up when Johnny got there.
"Is he killed?" asked Johnny, with whitened, quivering lips.
The man brought Felix out of the bushes, and put him down on a smooth
strip of turf by the side of the road: his face was covered with blood.
But when Johnny drew off the bandage, he could see that his eyes were
open, and that he was moving them about, although in a vacant, languid
manner.
"There's a pail in the bottom of my cart," said the man: "go and get it,
and then run to the brook down yonder, and bring some water."
[Illustration: "To his delight, he found that Felix was sitting up."]
Johnny ran to the cart, and found the pail: then, springing over the
rail-fence, he hurried to a little stream that ran through the pasture
below, scooped up some water hurriedly, and hastened back. To his
delight, he found that Felix was sitting up, although he was supported
by the teamster: still better, he was answering a question the teamster
had addressed to him. Johnny did not hear the question; but he heard
Felix say,--
"I guess I didn't know much at first, but I see where I am now."
The man had wiped off the blood as well as he could with the
handkerchief, and then bound it around Felix's head; but his face was
smeared with blood, and the stained handkerchief added to the ghastly
effect. Johnny pulled out his handkerchief, and, wetting it in the
water, handed it to the man, after he had filled a little telescope-cup,
which he had brought in his pocket to drink from if they should get
thirsty on their excursion. The man told Felix to drink some of the
water, and then wiped the blood from his face with Johnny's
handkerchief, and asked him how he felt.
"I guess I don't feel so very badly," he replied, in quite a natural
manner; "but I wish that blood wouldn't come trickling down my face all
the time."
The bandage was by this time saturated, so that it no longer absorbed
the blood from the wound: Johnny's handkerchief was wrung out as dry as
possible, and substituted for it.
"I'll tell you what we had better do," said the man. "I'll put him in
my cart, and carry him right to the doctor: he lives about as near as
any one, and he'll know just what ought to be done."
"Yes," said Johnny: "I wish you would."
It was found that Felix could now walk tolerably well. He was helped
into the cart; and the bicycle, which had continued on down the hill a
little way, and lodged in another clump of bushes at the side of the
road, was put in behind. The man then got in and drove up the hill,
supporting Felix with one arm; while Johnny walked up, and got upon his
bicycle, for the man said the doctor lived on the hill.
They passed one house, and then came to a brown cottage with a piazza
running along the side, facing an apple-orchard. A little boy was
sitting upon the piazza, with some playthings about him.
"Hallo, Charley!" said the man: "is your father in?"
The boy made no reply, except to jump up and run into the house. The
man stopped his team, and Johnny alighted from his bicycle. A moment
afterwards, a gentleman came out of the front-door, and approached them
with, "Good-morning, Mr. Jenks."
"Good-mornin', doctor. I've got a boy here who took a bad header going
down our hill here blindfolded: he's got lesson enough without any
remarks of mine, for he's cut a pretty deep gash on his head. I guess
you'd better tend to it, if you've a mind to, and send the bill in to
his father."
"Never mind the bill," replied the doctor in a hearty, cheery tone, as
he helped Felix out of the cart. "I was a foolhardy boy myself once,
and I'm willing to help a young fellow out of a little trouble, any
time."
"I can pay, myself," replied Felix: "I guess I've got money enough in my
pocket; and if I haven't, I can come over some day and bring the rest."
By this time, his face was very bloody again, although he had been
wiping it with his handkerchief, which Johnny had rinsed in the pail.
"I'll pay you for your trouble, too," said Felix, as the man began to
drive on.
"No, you don't!" replied Mr. Jenks. "That's all right. Hope the doctor
can make you as good as new."
Johnny leaned his own bicycle and that of Felix against the fence, and
then followed the doctor and his patient into one of the front rooms,
which was the doctor's office. The doctor immediately washed Felix's
face, and then bound the wound together with strips of court-plaster,
after cutting the hair as close as possible in the neighborhood of the
gash. It was evident that Felix had struck his head against the sharp
edge of one of the stones at the side of the road.
"There, young man," said the doctor, when he had finished: "you'll be
all right after a while, and you'll be a little wiser than you were
before; so, on the whole, you may be even better off for the accident.
But what possessed you to try to go down hill on a bicycle blindfolded?"
"I just did it to make Johnny wonder how it was done: I've tried it
before with the boys at home, without their finding out the trick. I
didn't put the handkerchief so but what I could see some, just down
under; and I should have been all right, because I could see the ground
close ahead of me well enough; only when I heard the team coming, I
lifted up one side of the handkerchief so as to pass all right, and then
I turned out to the side without thinking of its being rocky there; and
as I couldn't see off that way, easily, because of the handkerchief, I
ran on a stone all of a sudden, and that gave me a header. If the team
hadn't come, I should have kept on in the middle of the road all right."
"This going along without the full use of your eyes isn't a good plan,
you see, young man; and it's so all through life. Keep your eyes wide
open, my boy, keep your eyes wide open. And now about your getting
home. I presume you feel pretty weak and faint after losing so much
blood, and having something of a fright?"
"No; I'm all right now, I guess; I'll pay you, and then I'll get on my
bicycle and ride home."
Felix pulled out his pocket-book, opened it, and took out some bills.
"How much will it be?" said he.
"You are quite a capitalist, I see," remarked the doctor; "but put up
your money; I don't want any pay; you are perfectly welcome."
"No: I shall pay," replied Felix. "I've got plenty of money."
"In that case, if you think you will feel better for paying, you can
give me a dollar, which is the usual fee for such an operation when the
patient comes to my office; but you would be quite welcome to the
service free of charge."
Felix handed the doctor a dollar, and then said he guessed he had better
be going.
"You must not go for an hour, at least," replied the doctor, "or I
cannot promise that you will have no unpleasant results from your
injury. Sit down in the fresh air a while, on the piazza, with your
friend, until you are fully certain that you are equal to the exertion
of returning home. At the end of an hour I will feel of your pulse and
tell you whether you can go on your bicycle, or had better be sent home
in my carriage."