Little Homespun by Ruth Ogden — Read

It was two weeks now since that dreadful afternoon up at Ellismere, and it has been a quiet two weeks for all of our little party. No one has had the heart for very much fun, for Grandma Ellis has been very ill up at Ellismere, and dear old Joe is lying helpless in bed in his own little cabin. After the storm had spent its force they had carried Joe up to the house, and there he had lain unmindful of everything about him for three whole days together. Then, when at last consciousness came back, power to move either right arm or leg did not come with it, and then they learned that poor old Joe was paralysed. As soon as possible after that they moved Joe up to Arlington, for he longed for his own bed and his own familiar cabin. And who do you suppose went up to care for Joe, but Mammy! "If you can spare me. Miss Lindy," Mammy had said to Grandma Ellis, "I would like to look out for Joe de res' of his days. I ain't allers been ober kin' to dat ole gem'an, an' I ain't had no idea what splendid stuff he had in him," and it seemed a very little thing to Grandma Ellis to spare Mammy for the sake of the one who had saved Brevet's life. That Joe had saved it there was but little question, for the storm had seemed to be at its very height when it reached the island, levelling and demolishing everything upon it. The tent had been carried off bodily, no one knew where, and the little pine trees uprooted lay wedged in the rocks as though pounded in with an anvil, so that it seemed impossible that Brevet could have escaped being hurled into the river, or dashed against the rocks with the same terrible force as the pine trees.

Harry had been unable to bring any one from the stables, for both the men, as it happened, were three miles away at the blacksmith's, and but for Joe's instant action, any help would have come too late.