Although the boy ran to the village and back at the top of his speed the time seemed long indeed to those who were waiting. When he returned they set to work at once to examine the injuries. Ned appeared to have received but one blow. The blood was slowly welling from a wound at the back of his head.
' That war maade by a leaded stick, oi guess,' Luke said; ' it's cut through his hat, and must pretty nigh ha' cracked his skool. One of you bathe un wi' the water while we looks arter Bill.'
Polly gave an exclamation of horror as the light fell upon Bill Swinton. He was covered with blood. A clean cut extended from the top of the ear to the point of the chin, another from the left shoulder to the breast, while a third ? ash behind had cut through to the bone of the shoulder-blade.
' Never moind t' water, lass,' Luke said as Polly with trembling hands was about to wash the blood from the cut on the face, ' the bluid won't do un no harm, thou must stop t' bleeding.'
Polly tore three or four long strips from the bottom of her dress. While she was doing so one of the men by Luke's directions took the lantern and gathered some short dry moss from the side of the slope, and laid it in a ridge on the gaping wound. Then Luke with Polly's assistance tightly bandaged Bill's head, winding the strips from the back of the head round to the chin, and again across the temples and jaw. Luke took out his knife and cut oft' the coat and shirt from the arms and shoulder, and in the same way bandaged up the other two wounds. After
George had started to fetch the lantern, Luke had at Polly's suggestion sent two men back to the village, and these had now returned with doors they had taken off the hinges. When Bill's wounds were bandaged he and Ned were placed on the doors, Ned giving a faint groan as he was moved.
'That's roight,' Luke said encouragingly, 'he be a-cooming round.'
Two coats were wrapped up and placed under their heads, and they were then lifted and carried off, Polly hurrying on ahead to make up the fire and get hot water.
' Say nowt to no one,' Luke said as he started. ' Till t' master cooms round there ain't no saying what he'd loike done. Maybe he won't have nowt said aboot it.'
The water was already hot when the party reached the cottage; the blood was carefully washed off Ned's head, and a great swelling with an ugly gash running across was shown. Cold water was dashed in his face, and with a gasp he opened his eyes.
' It be all roight, Maister Ned,' Luke said soothingly; 'it be all over now, and you be among vriends. Ye've had an ugly one on the back o' thy head, but I dowt thou wilt do rarely now.'
Ned looked round vaguely, then a look of intelligence came into his face.
' Where is Bill?' he asked.
'He be hurted sorely, but oi think it be only loss o' blood, and he will coom round again; best lie still a few minutes, maister, thou wilt feel better then; Polly she be tending Bill.'
In a few minutes Ned was able to sit up; a drink of cold brandy and water further restored him. He went to the bed on which Bill had been placed.
' He's not dead?' he asked with a gasp, as he saw the white face enveloped in bandages.
'No, sure-lie,' Luke replied cheerfully; 'he be a long way from dead yet,oi hoape, though he be badly cut about.'
'Have you sent for the doctor?' Ned asked.
'No!'
' Then send for Dr. Green at once, and tell him from me to come up here instantly.'
Ned sat down in a chair for a few minutes, for he was still dazed and stupid; but his brain was gradually clearing. Presently he looked up at the men who were still standing silently near the door.
'I have no doubt,' he said, 'that I have to thank you all for saving my life, but at present I do not know how it has all come about. I will see you to-morrow. But unless it has already got known, please say nothing about this. I don't want it talked about—at anyrate until we see how Bill gets on. Now, Luke,' he continued, when the men had gone, ' tell me all about it. My brain is in a whirl, and I can hardly think.'
Luke related the incidents of the fight and the flight of the assailants, and said that they had carried off a dead man with them.
Ned sat for some time in silence.
' Yes,' he said at last, ' I shot one. I was walking along with Bill when suddenly a gun was fired from a bush close by; then a number of men jumped up and rushed upon us. I had my pistol, and had just time to fire two shots. I saw one man go straight down, and then they were upon us. They shouted to Bill to get out of the way, but he went at them like a lion. I don't think any of the others had guns; at anyrate they only attacked us with sticks and knives. I fought with my back to Bill as well as I could, and we were keeping them off, till suddenly I don't remember any more.'
' One on them hit ye from behind wi' a loaded stick,' Luke said, ' and thou must ha' gone doon like a felled ox; then oi expects as Bill stood across thee and kept them off as well as he could, but they war too much for t' lad; beside that cut on the head he ha' one on t' shoulder and one behind. Oi war only joost in toime, another quarter of a minute and they'd ha' got their knives into thee.'
' Poor old Bill,' Ned said sadly, going up to the bedside and laying his hand on the unconscious figure. ' I fear you have given your life to save one of little value to myself or anyone else.'
'Don't say that, Master Ned,' Polly said softly; 'you cannot say what your life may be as yet, and if so be that Bill is to die, and God grant it isn't so, he himself would not think his life thrown away if it were given to save yours.'
But few words were spoken in the cottage until Dr. Green arrived. Ned's head was aching so that he was forced to lie down. Polly from time to time moistened Bill's lips with a few drops of brandy. George had been ordered ofF to bed, and Luke sat gazing at the fire, wishing
that there was something he could do. At last the doctor arrived; the messenger had told him the nature of the case, and he had come provided with lint, plaster, and bandages.
' Well, Ned,' he asked as he came in, ' have you been in the wars again?'
' I am all right, doctor. I had a knock on the head which a day or two will put right; but I fear Bill is very seriously hurt.'
The doctor at once set to to examine the bandages.
' You have done them up very well,' he said approvingly; ' but the blood is still oozing from them. I must dress them afresh; get me plenty of hot water, Polly, I have brought a sponge with me. Can you look on without fainting?'
' I don't think I shall faint, sir,' Polly said quietly; ' if I do, feyther will take my place.'
In a quarter of an hour the wounds were washed, drawn together, and bandaged. There was but little fresh bleeding, for the lad's stock of life-blood had nearly all flowed away.
' A very near case,' the doctor said critically; ' as close a shave as ever I saw. Had that wound on the face been a quarter of an inch nearer the eyebrow it would have severed the temporal artery. As it is it has merely laid open the jaw. Neither of the other wounds are serious, though they might very well have been fatal.'
' Then you think he will get round, doctor?' Ned asked in a low tone.
'Get round! Of course he will,' Dr. Green replied
cheerily. ' Now that we have got him bound up we will soon bring him round. It is only a question of loss of blood.'
' Hullo! this will never do;' he broke off as Ned suddenly reeled and would have fallen to the ground had not Luke caught him. 'Pour this cordial down Swinton's throat, Polly, a little at a time, and lift his head as you do it, and when you see him open his eyes, put a pillow under his head; but don't do so till he begins to come round. Now let me look at Ned's head.
' It must have been a tremendous blow, Luke,' he said seriously. ' I only hope it hasn't fractured the skull. However, all this swelling and suffusion of blood is a good sign. Give me that hot water. I shall put a lancet in here and get it to bleed freely. That will be a relief to him.'
While he was doing this an exclamation of pleasure from Polly showed that Bill was showing sign of returning to life. His eyes presently opened. Polly bent over him.
' Lie quiet, Bill, dear; you have been hurt, but the doctor says you will soon be well again. Yes; Master Ned is all right too. Don't worry yourself about him.'
An hour later both were sleeping quietly.
' They will sleep till morning,' Dr. Green said, ' perhaps well on into the day; it is no use my waiting any
