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Dr。Parker，verygravebutbusinesslike，reachedthedeckamongthefirst。
“Mr。Ellery，“heshouted，“whereareyou？“
Theminister’sheadandshouldersappearedattheforecastlecompanion。“HereIam，doctor，“hesaid。“Willyoucomedown？“
Thedoctormadenoanswerinwords，buthehurriedbrisklyacrossthedeck。Oneman，EbenezerCapen，anoldfishermanandex-whalerfromEastTrumet，startedtofollowhim，buthewastheonlyone。
Theotherswaited，withscaredfaces，bytherail。
“Getherunderwayandinshoreassoonasyoucan，“orderedDr。
Parker。“Ebenezer，youcanhelp。IfIneedyoubelow，I’llcall。“
Theministerbackeddowntheladderandthedoctorfollowedhim。
Parkerbentoverthebunkforafewmomentsinsilence。
“He’sprettybad，“hemuttered。“Mightylittlechance。Heavens，whataden！Whobrokethatwindow？“
“Idid，“repliedEllery。“Theairdownherewasdreadful。“
Thedoctornoddedapprovingly。“Iguessso，“hesaid。“It’sbadenoughnow。We’vegottogetthispoorfellowoutofhereassoonaswecanorhe’lldiebeforeto-morrow。Mr。Ellery，“headdedsharply，“whatmadeyoudothis？Don’tyourealizetheriskyou’verun？“
“Someonehadtodoit。Youarerunningthesamerisk。“
“Notjustthesame，and，besides，it’smybusiness。Whydidn’tyouletsomeoneelse，someonewecouldspare——Humph！Confoundit，man！didn’tyouknowanybetter？Weren’tyouafraid？“
HistoneraspedEllery’sshakennerves。
“OfcourseIwas，“hesnappedirritably。“I’mnotanidiot。“
“Humph！Well，allright；Ibegyourpardon。Butyououghtn’ttohavedoneit。Nowyou’llhavetobequarantined。AndwhointhunderIcangettostaywithmeinthiscaseismorethanIknow。
Justsaysmallpoxtothistownanditgoestopieceslikeasmashedegg。OldEbCapenwillhelp，forhe’shadit，butitneedsmorethanone。“
“Whereareyougoingtotake——him？“pointingtothemoaningoccupantofthebunk。
“Tooneoftheemptyfishshantiesonthebeach。Therearebedsthere，suchastheyare，andtheplaceissecluded。Wecanburnitdownwhenthefussisover。“
“Thenwhycan’tIstay？Ishallhavetobequarantined，Iknowthat。Letmebetheothernurse。Whyshouldanyoneelseruntherisk？IHAVErunit。I’llstay。“
Dr。Parkerlookedathim。“Well！“heexclaimed。“Well！Imustsay，youngman，thatyou’vegot——Humph！Allright，Mr。Ellery；
I’mmuchobliged。“
CHAPTERXVII
INWHICHEBENEZERCAPENISSURPRISED
BeforesunsetthatafternoontheSanJosewasanchoredbehindthepointbytheinlet。Thefishingboatschangedmooringsandmovedfartherup，fornotasingleoneoftheirownerswouldtrusthimselfwithinahundredyardsofthestrickenbrigantine。Assoonastheanchorsweredropped，thevolunteercrewwasoversideandaway，eachofitsmemberstoreceiveascoldingfromhisfamilyfortakingsuchariskandtohavehisgarmentssulphur-smokedorburied。CharlieBurgess，whosewifewassomethingofaTartar，observedruefullythathe“didn’ttakenocomfort’roundhomenowadays；betweenthesmellofbrimstoneandthejawin’s’twasthehereafteraheadoftime。“
Thelargestofthebeachshanties，onewhichstoodbyitselfaquarterofamilefromthelight，washurriedlypreparedforuseasapesthouseandthesicksailorwascarriedthereonanimprovisedstretcher。Dr。ParkerandElleryliftedhimfromhisberthand，assistedbyoldEbenezerCapen，gothimuptothedeckandloweredhimintothedory。Ebenezerrowedthetriotothebeachandtherestofthejourneywascomparativelyeasy。
Theshantyhadthreerooms，oneofwhichwasgivenuptothepatient，oneusedasalivingroom，and，inthethird，Capenandtheministerweretosleep。Mattresseswereprocured，kind-heartedandsympathizingtownspeopledonatedcast-offtablesandchairs，andthebuildingwasmadeascomfortableasitcouldbe，underthecircumstances。Signboards，warningstrangerstokeepaway，wereerected，andinadditiontothem，theTrumetselectmenorderedropesstretchedacrossthelaneonbothsidesoftheshanty。Butropesandsignsweresuperfluous。Trumetingeneralwasinabluefunkandhadnodesiretoapproachwithinamileofthelocality。
Eventh
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