12 THE STItIKE AT SHAXE'S, 



"You go down to town jin' bring up Hodges, an' 

 see what lie can do for him," said Shane. 



Had he known what would be the result of this 

 action, he would rather have said, "You take him 

 down to the woods an' put a bullet in his brain." But 

 he thought Hodges could doctor the old horse up so 

 that he would be able to work again. 



Shane got Dobbin out of the stable in the meantime, 

 although he was so stiff he could scarcely walk. 



Hodges, the veterinary surgeon, soon came and said 

 he thought he could cure him, but that he didn't 

 believe he would ever be worth much, or able to do 

 much hard work again. 



"AYell, I'll spend no money on him," said Shane. 

 "Here's your fee for this time, and you needn't come 

 any more." 



" iV/r. Hodges j" said a voice behind them, ''you can 

 give old Dobbin cdl the attention he needs, and I icill 

 see that you are paid.'' It was Mrs. Shane, who had 

 come up just in time to hear Shane's last remark. 



Shane growled out something about ' ' squandering- 

 money," and turning on his heel, went to the barn. 



Hodges left medicine with Mrs. Shane, and she and 

 Edith got the old horse into the yard and wrapped him 

 up in an old quilt. They bathed his limbs with the 

 ointment left by Hodges, and Mrs. Shane held his 

 mouth open while Edith poured in the medicine for him 

 to swallow. 



Dobbin's condition soon became known throughout 

 the barnyard, and also the cause of it. There is no 



