He wondered,
accordingly, as he listened to yells of laughter, and discordant shouts
of hilarity; and he grew curious about the occasion of uproar.
"They're poking fun at some poor devil, that don't quite see what
they're after."
A nearer approach soon gave him a clue to the mystery; but all his
farther speculations upon it were arrested, by a deep groan from the
wounded man, and a writhing movement in the bottom of the wagon, as the
wheel rolled over a little pile of stones in the road.
Forrester's humanity checked his curiosity. He stooped to the sufferer,
composed his limbs upon the straw, and, as the vehicle, by this time,
had approached the tavern, he ordered the wagoner to drive to the rear
of the building, that the wounded man might lose, as much as possible,
the sounds of clamor which steadily rose from the hall in front. When
the wagon stopped, he procured proper help, and, with the tenderest
care, assisted to bear our unconscious traveller from the vehicle, into
the upper story of the house, where he gave him his own bed, left him in
charge of an old negro, and hurried away in search of that most
important person of the place, the village-doctor.
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