"You stop here, Tompkins, with him," he said quietly, "I will go
and fetch help. It is a risk, of course, but we can't let him lie
here."

So saying, Ned mounted the rock to get a view over the moor. No
sooner had he gained the position than he saw some thirty or forty
men walking in groups across the moor at a distance of about half
a mile. They had evidently finished their drill, and were making
their way to their homes. This at least was satisfactory. He would
no longer risk their anger by disturbing them at their illegal
practices, and had now only to fear the wrath which would be excited
when they heard what had happened to the boy.

He started at a brisk run after them, and speedily came up to the
last of the party. They were for the most part men between twenty
and thirty, rough and strongly built, and armed with billhooks and
heavy bludgeons, two or three of them carrying guns.

One of them looked round on hearing footsteps approaching, and gave
a sudden exclamation. The rest turned, and on seeing Ned, halted
with a look of savage and menacing anger on their faces.

"Who be'est, boy? dang ee, what brings ye here?"

Ned gulped down the emotion of fear excited by their threatening
appearance, and replied as calmly as he could: "I am sorry to say
that I have had a struggle with a boy over by that rock yonder.
We fell together, and he has broken his leg. He told me if I came
over in this direction I should find some one to help him."