how great was the agony.

"Where is it?" Ned asked.

"Aboove the knee somewhere," the lad said, and Ned put his hand
gently to the spot, and to his horror could feel something like
the end of a bone.

"Oh! dear, what is to be done? Here, Tompkins, either you or I must
go on to the town for help."

"It's getting dark already," Tompkins said; "the sun has set some
time. How on earth is one to find the way?"

"Well, if you like I will go," Ned said, "and you stop here with
him,"

The lad, who had been lying with closed eyes and a face of ghastly
pallor, now looked up.

"There be soom men not a quarter of a mile away; they be a-drilling,
they be, and oi was sot here to stop any one from cooming upon
em; but if so bee as thou wilt go and tell em oi has got hurt, oi
don't suppose as they will meddle with ye."

Ned saw now why the lad had opposed his going any further. Some of
the croppers were drilling on the moor, and the boy had been placed
as sentry. It wasn't a pleasant business to go up to men so engaged,
especially with the news that he had seriously injured the boy they
had placed on watch. But Ned did not hesitate a moment.