A Mission - pt 10 Back to Coale

It is time I stopped talking about myself, and resumed Coale's part.
Coale, as you remember, was hiding behind a bush, waiting for all the guests to leave, so that he could get help about his injured leg.  Well, as he waited, he grew colder and colder, weaker and weaker, until at last he couldn't wait any longer.  He raised himself to stand, but after taking a few steps, he fell fainting to the ground. He had waited to long, he would die of cold and blood loss if he was left.  But it just so happened that the owner of the house, one Tom Macabee, owned two old hunting hounds, these were lazing in the heat of the waning fire when Ol' Ben heard Coale's fall, or at least a slight rustling of leaves and underbrush.  Quintilliy, the other dog was not so sharp of ear, but her sight was perfect, and she had seen a movement.  Both dogs growled cautiously, and rising to their feet went to investigate the phenomenon.  They went quietly, slinking out of the fire light, and nobody saw them go.  When they reached Coale, Ol' Ben gave him a good sniff, and seeing that he did not pose a threat, he trotted back to his place by the fire.  Quintilly started after Ben, but, paused and returned to Coale and commenced licking his face, evidently the mother instinct had taken over.

Although Tom Mac' as he was called, did not see his dogs leave, he did notice Ol' Ben returning from the patch of thicket in which Coale was concealed.  He noticed that Quintilly was not lying where she had been a minute ago.  Scanning the clearing for her, Tom walked over to Ben.  The dog looked up slowly to Tom, then turned his head toward the thicket and growled softly.  Tom called, "Quint!"  A short bark came from the thicket.  He retrieved a blazing brand from the fire and went to find his dog.  When he came to her she was standing over Coale, licking his face.  Tom was aghast at the sight, he stooped down and felt his pulse... good he was alive, at least sort of alive.  Calling to Clack Henderson, a friend that was staying at the House, Tom searched Coale to find any sort of identification.