e to
clear so great an obstacle.

"Let us get away!" cried Ernestine. "Oh! it's terrible, terrible to
think that dreadful beast is still so near us!"

She made an effort to rise; then, groaning with pain, she sank back on
to the ground, and buried her face in her hands.

"I can't walk!" she moaned, "I've broken my foot. Go, girls, and leave
me! If I have to die, I must."

"What nonsense!" said Cathy. "You're not going to die yet. I expect you
twisted your ankle when you fell. You're quite safe here, for the bull
can't leap a six-foot wall, or climb up crooked stone steps. We'll go
for help, and Mr. Thompson and one of the men must come to carry you
back to the farm."

"You go, Cathy," I said, "and I'll stay with Ernestine. She'd feel
dreadfully frightened to be left here all alone, with the bull close
by, although it can't get at us now. If you run all the way, you'll
very soon be back with help."

Cathy started off at once at a brisk trot, and we watched her as she
hurried down the clover-field and the meadow, and disappeared into the
wood below.

I turned to Ernestine, who still sat under the wall where she had
fallen, white to the lips, and trembling all over with pain.

"I'm afraid your foot's hurting you very much," I said. "Let me take
your boot off, and I'll get some water to bathe it for you."

I was obliged to cut both her boot-lace and her stocking with my
penknife, for her ankle was already so swollen that she could scarcely
bear to have it touched. I soaked my handkerchief in a little pool of
water, and bound up the foot as carefully as I could.

"Don't cry!" I said. "They'll soon be here with help, and you can lie on
the carriage-seat and keep your foot up all the way home. Does it hurt
you very dreadfully?"

"It does hurt, but it isn't that!" sobbed Ernestine. "You've saved my
life, Philippa, and--I've been so horribly nasty to you, ever since you
came to school! I _meant_ to shake that handrail to-day, and send you
into the brook; it wasn't an accident at all!"

I stroked her hand softly.

"I don't think you'd do it again," I said. "It's all right about the
bull. Don't let us talk of it now. I want to put another bandage on your
poor foot."

"But I will talk of it!" she said. "I've been most disgustingly mean.
I'll be very different to you afterwards, if you'll be friends with me.
Will you?"

"Of course I will," I said heartily; and I put my arms round her neck,
and kissed her.

Mr.