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"The cold will help We shall take him outside, and I will remove the ball Then he will have a chance If we leave him here as he is he will die We will carry hiht Can you h to provide a litter to carry him with?"

Kevin spoke "Yes, we can, sir," he said

The snoas still falling, but the flakes were sun to blow Robbie was carried out, , by two of the Creek boys, away from the house and into the trees Old Creek Wo, as the doctor knelt beside hiht, laddie Aye, that's it Keep his hands and feet covered so they don't freeze Put this in his mouth There now, laddie, ill have it out in just a shake of a lamb's tail Bear up now Are you not the descendent of Bonnie Prince Charlie, now? Sure, and you are"

He kept talking, but Robbie's groans grew over the sound of his voice I felt ed into my throat I turned away, down the path we had made, and vomited into the snow Then I ran away froony, past the houses, and down the path, until I could no longer hear

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The doctor refused to return Robbie to the Creek house; he insisted that he be carried at once to Barraigh I was both relieved and afraid Barraigh o hours away on horseback in good weather; I feared that being carried on the litter would be agony for Robbie, and it was The horses traveled slowly; the Creek boys who carried the litter trudged stoically between us The wind grew stronger, the cold more intense, the snow deeper Robbie's fever returned; his , and sometimes he cried out Dusk had fallen by the time we cah

Kevin galloped ahead to announce our arrival As the house cae of relief Now Robbie would be safe Now he could mend I whispered, "Thank God," and soon ere at the porch, and people were pouring out of the house, excla over the sound of the wind in my ears

Robbie was carried into a bedroom and placed upon a bed covered with clean linen

Pete appeared, saying, "Master Robbie, oh, sir, praise God, praise God!" and I heard Ha Robbie! Praise be to God!" and I began to weep, sinking down onto a chair in corner of the room