You might have broke your arms or your necks or somethin'.

Mr.Alpheus Bassett, down to the Point--a great, strong, fleshy man, weighs close to two hundred and fifty and never sick a day in his life--he was up in the second story of his buildin' walkin' around spry as anybody--all alone, which he shouldn't have been at his age--and he stepped on a fish and away he went.

And the next thing we hear he's in bed with his collar-bone.

Did you ever hear anything like that in your life, Miss Howes ?" It was plain that Emily never had.

"I--I'm afraid I don't understand," she faltered.