The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker Read Online Free PDF

had constant toothaches, and Lucas was pretty sure he recognized the look of misery on the young boy’s face.
    â€œGreetings, Dr. Beecher,” said the woman. “Daniel here’s got a tooth needs pullin’, if you got the time.”
    â€œGood day to you, Mrs. Oaks,” answered Doc. To Daniel he said, “Young man, what seems to be the trouble?”
    The boy looked silently up at Doc, his eyes large and frightened-looking.
    â€œI guess I can see for myself, can’t I?” said Doc. “That face of yours looks swollen. Hurts bad, does it, lad?”
    Daniel nodded and a little sob escaped his throat.
    â€œAll right, now. Daniel, this is my apprentice, Lucas. He’ll help you into that chair.”
    Lucas took the boy’s hand and led him over to the big chair where James had had his haircut.
    â€œCan you climb up there yourself?” Lucas asked.
    Daniel hoisted himself onto the high seat and looked fearfully at Lucas. Lucas looked to Doc, waiting to find out what he was to do next.
    â€œNow, Daniel,” Doc was saying as he assembled the instruments he would need, “Lucas is going to take those straps there and harness you up. It won’t be for long. But I’m not going to lie to you, lad. This isn’t going to be pleasant. I need you to be brave, and to stay as still as you can.”
    Daniel was looking at Lucas, terrified, while Lucas fastened the leather straps over his chest. Lucas tried to think of something, anything, to make the boy less afraid.
    â€œYou know why Doc Beecher uses these straps, Daniel?”
    Daniel shook his head, his eyes growing even wider.
    Lucas leaned down and began to whisper in the boy’s ear. “Well, one day there was a man sitting there in that very chair. He had a bad tooth, see, same as you, and Doc was pulling it out. It hurt some, and the man got real mad at Doc and punched him right in the nose!
    â€œI reckon Doc’s afraid you’ll do the same thing, so he’s got to strap you down for his own protection, you being such a big, strong boy and him being so old and all.”
    Lucas stopped whispering when he saw that Doc stood ready to begin. Daniel glanced sideways at Doc Beecher, a flicker of a grin crossing his face.
    â€œAll set now, are we?” asked Doc.
    Lucas looked into Daniel’s eyes and lifted his eyebrows in a question. The boy nodded.
    Doc untied the cloth from around the boy’s head and said in a soothing voice, “Open wide. That’s good. Now even wider. That’s it, lad.” With a small knife, he began to cut the pink skin around the inflamed tooth. Lucas felt Daniel’s hand fumbling for his. Daniel’s small fingers gripped Lucas’s fiercely, and tears streamed down his pale freckled cheeks. Lucas’s heart wrenched with pity.
    Doc nodded his approval as Lucas, without being told, held the cloth where it would catch the flow of blood. With fascination, Lucas realized that the tooth was longer than it looked. Part of it was buried in the flesh, the way the roots of a plant were buried in the ground.
    Once the length of tooth was exposed, Doc handed Lucas the knife and reached for a pair of pliers. The pliers looked fearsome. Daniel’s eyes were squeezed tight.
    Good, thought Lucas. It was better if he didn’t see what was coming.
    Doc grasped Daniel’s tooth with the pliers and wiggled it back and forth with a steady pull. Daniel’s body grew rigid and his fingers squeezed Lucas’s so tight that Lucas was afraid they might break. Slowly, the tooth emerged. Doc pressed a small piece of cloth into the hole in Daniel’s gum, and held the tooth up for Daniel to see.
    â€œThere’s the culprit,” he said triumphantly.
    At the sight of the tooth, Daniel let out a wail and began to cry in earnest.
    â€œIt’s all right, Daniel,” Lucas said, removing the straps. “It’s over now. Soon you’ll feel lots