nd gathering all his strength he sprang at his
opponent like a tiger. Avoiding the blow which the boy aimed at him,
he leaped upon him, and flung his arms round his neck. The sudden shock
overthrew him, and with a crash both boys came to the ground together.

Ned at once loosened his hold, and springing to his feet again, awaited
the rising of his opponent. The latter made a movement to get up, and
then fell back with a cry.

"Thou hast beaten me," he said. "Oi think moi leg be broke."

Ned saw now that as the lad had fallen his leg had been twisted under
him, and that he was unable to extricate it. In a moment he was kneeling
before the prostrate lad.

"Oh! I am sorry," he exclaimed; "but you know I didn't mean to do it.
Here, Tompkins, don't sit there like a fool, but come and help me move
him and get his leg straight."

Although the boys did this as gently as they could, a groan showed 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.

"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 mak