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. Abijah had
been taken into Captain Sankey's counsels, and as soon as the fever had
abated, and the doctor pronounced that the most nourishing food was now
requisite, she set to work to prepare the strongest broths and jellies
she could make, and these, with bottles of port wine, were taken by
her every evening to the doctor, who carried them up in his gig on his
visits to his patient in the morning. On the third Saturday the doctor
told Ned that he considered that the boy had fairly turned the corner
and was on the road to recovery, and that he might now go up and see
him. His friends had expressed their warm gratitude for the supplies
which had been sent up, and clearly cherished no animosity against Ned.
The boy had been informed of the extreme anxiety of his young antagonist
as to his condition, and had nodded feebly when asked if he would see
Ned should he call upon him. It was therefore without any feeling of
trepidation as to his reception