I should have to act on my own responsibility.

But in the hurry and rush and anxiety of the work--for some of the cases were severe and even critical--I had no opportunity to consider any course of action, nor time to carry it out.

Even with the aid of a hansom which I chartered, as Stillbury kept no carriage, I had not finished my last visit until near on midnight, and was then so spent with fatigue that I fell asleep over my postponed supper.
As the next day opened with a further increase of work, I sent a telegram to Dr.Stillbury at Hastings, whither he had gone, like a wise man, to recruit after a slight illness.

I asked for authority to engage an assistant, but the reply informed me that Stillbury himself was on his way to town; and to my relief, when I dropped in at the surgery for a cup of tea, I found him rubbing his hands over the open day-book.
"It's an ill wind that blows nobody good," he remarked cheerfully as we shook hands.

"This will pay the expenses of my holiday, including you.
By the way, you are not anxious to be off, I suppose ?" As a matter of fact, I was; for I had decided to accept Thorndyke's offer, and was now eager to take up my duties with him.