"And that you did, lad," cried Rory. "No man better, and I'll tell
them."

The men who were standing near and who had heard Ben's words broke out
into admiring expletives, "Good boy, Benny!" "Benny's the stuff!" till
finally someone swinging his hat in the air cried, "Three cheers
for Benny!" and the feelings of the crowd, held in check for so many
minutes, at length found expression in three times three, and with the
cheers ringing in his ears and with a smile upon his drawn face, poor
Ben, forgetting his agony for the time, was borne away on his three-mile
drive to the doctor.

The raising was over, but no man asked which side had won.




IV

THE DANCE


The dance was well on when Barney and Tom drove up to the McLeods' gate.
They were met by Margaret and Barney's mother, who, with a group of
girls and Mr. McLeod, had been waiting for them. As they drove into the
yard they were met at once with eager questions as to the condition and
fate of the unhappy Ben.

"Ben, is it?" said Tom. "Indeed, it's a hero we've discovered. He stud