one else."

"Don't say that, Master Ned," Polly said softly; "you cannot say what
your life may be as yet, and if so be that Bill is to die, and God grant
it isn't so, he himself would not think his life thrown away if it were
given to save yours."

But few words were spoken in the cottage until Dr. Green arrived. Ned's
head was aching so that he was forced to lie down. Polly from time to
time moistened Bill's lips with a few drops of brandy. George had been
ordered off to bed, and Luke sat gazing at the fire, wishing that there
was something he could do.

At last the doctor arrived; the messenger had told him the nature of the
case, and he had come provided with lint, plaster, and bandages.

"Well, Ned," he asked as he came in, "have you been in the wars again?"

"I am all right, doctor. I had a knock on the head which a day or two
will put right; but I fear Bill is very seriously hurt."

The doctor at once set to to examine the bandages.

"You have done them up very well," he said approvingly; "but the blood
is still oozing from them. I must dress them afresh; get me plenty
of hot water, Polly, I have brought a sponge with me. Can you look on
without fainting?"

"I don't think I shall faint, sir," Polly said quietly; "if I do,
feyther will take my place."

In a quarter of an hour the wounds were washed, drawn together, and
bandaged. There was but little fresh bleeding, for the lad's stock of
life blood had nearly all flowed away.

"A very near case," the doctor said critically; "as close a shave as
ever I saw. Had the wound on the face been a quarter of an inch nearer
the eyebrow it would have severed the temporal artery. As it is it
has merely laid open the jaw. Neither of the other wounds are serious,
though they might very well have been fatal."

"Then you think he will get round, doctor?" Ned asked in a low tone.

"Get round! Of course he will," Dr. Green replied cheerily. "Now that
we have got him bound up we will soon bring him round. It is only a
question of loss of blood."

"Hullo! this will never do," he broke off as Ned suddenly reeled and
would have fallen to the ground had not Luke caught him.

"Pour this cordial down Swinton's throat, Polly, a little at a time, and
lift his head as you do it, and when you see him open his eyes, put a
pillow under his head; but don't do so till he begins to come round. Now
let me look at Ned's head.

"It must have been a tremendous blow, Luke," he said se