"Well, I know the lying-down position is simply torture, so we’ll try your way," Tom said.  "With luck, we may catch the Bairnsdale boat with him—it doesn’t go until nine, and it’s only seven o’clock now.  I hope they won’t be long.  The fellow who came in said he could manage to get him here on the pony, so I thought it was better for me to wait and get things ready here.  I’ll fix that board, if you will find something to pad it.  Is Garth up?"