One important interior town, Yenping, they had hoped J.W. might visit, but unfortunately there was no one connected with the agency who could be sent with him.  They understood that some of his missionary friends were ready to help him in the general enterprise, and perhaps they might be able to suggest something.

When the difficulty was stated to Professor Bellew he said:  “Why, that’s one of our stations.  It is a little out of the way to go up to Dr. Carbrook’s place on the way to Yenping, but we’ll see that you get to both towns.”

“That’s certainly good of you, Professor,” said J.W., gratefully.  “I’ve told you about Joe Carbrook, and I can hardly wait until I get to him.”  As a matter of fact, he had told everybody about Joe Carbrook.

Professor Bellew was sympathetic.  “I know,” he said, “and I understand.  When you come back, if we can manage the dates, you may find something here which you ought to see.”

The Carbrook Hospital—­it has another name in the annual reports, but this will identify it sufficiently for our purposes—­spread itself all over the compound and beyond in its welcome to J.W.  Joe and Marcia were first, and joyfullest.  The school turned out to the last scholar, and even the hospital’s “walking cases” insisted on having a share in the welcome to the foreign doctor’s friend.

“Tell us what you are up to,” said the Carbrooks, when they were back in the house after a sketchy inspection of the whole establishment; hospital, dispensary, school, chapel, and so forth.  And, “Tell me what you are doing with it, now that you have the hospital you have been dreaming about so long,” said J.W.

But J.W. told his story first, just to get it out of the way, as he said.  Then he turned to Marcia and said, “How about it, ’Mrs. Carbrook’?”

“Well, J.W.,” said Marcia, “that name is not so strange as it was.  I’m feeling as if I had been married a long time, judging by the responsibilities, that are dumped on me just because I am the doctor’s wife.  And this doctor man of mine hardly knows whether to be happy or miserable.  He’s happy, because he has found the very place he wanted.  And he’s miserable because he ought to be learning the language and can’t get away from the work that crowds in on him.”

“And you yourself, Marcia,” J.W. asked, “are you happy or miserable, or both?”

“She’s as mixed up as I am, old man,” Joe answered for her.  “Talk about the language!  I don’t hanker after learning it, but I’ve got to, some time.  If they would just let me be a sort of deaf-mute doctor I’d be much obliged.  The work is fairly maddening.  You know, it was a question of closing up this hospital or putting me in as a green hand.  Of course there are the nurses, and a couple of students.  But I’m glad they put me in; only, look at the job!  Never a day without new patients.  A steady stream at the out-clinic.  Why, J.W., I’ve done operations alone here that at home they’d hardly let me hold sponges for.  Had to do ’em.”