were all against it. By the help of half a dozen men he got the
bones into their places again, and has bandaged the leg up with
splints; but he is very doubtful what will come of it."

Ned was crying now.

"I would give anything if it hadn't happened, father, and he really
seemed a nice fellow. He said over and over again he didn't want
to hurt us, and I am sure he didn't, only he thought he oughtn't
to let us pass, and as we would go on he had to stop us."

"Well, it can't be helped, Ned," his father said kindly. "It is
very natural that you should be grieved about it; but you see it
really was an accident; there was nothing willful or intentional
about it, and you must not take it to heart more than you can help."

But Ned did take it to heart, and for the next fortnight was very
miserable. The doctor's reports during that time were not hopeful.
Fever had set in, and for some days the boy was delirious, and
there was no saying how it would turn out. At the end of that time
the bulletins became somewhat more hopeful. The lad was quiet now
from the complete exhaustion of his strength. He might rally or he
might not; his leg was going on favorably. No bad symptom had set
in, and it was now purely a question of strength and constitution
whether he would pull through it.

Mrs. Sankey had been kept in entire ignorance of the whole matter.
She had once or twice expressed a languid surprise at Ned's altered
manner and extreme quietness; but her interest was not sufficient
for her to inquire whether there were any reasons for this change.