ssed a ditch wi' some water in it a bit
back.' He flew off, and soon returned with the billy full of cold
water.

'Now give me your handkerchief,' said Dick, 'and while I dab the cut
with water you push ahead and find help.'

Chippy nodded. 'I reckon this path runs somewheer,' he said. 'I'll
foller it up.'

He raced forward and disappeared round a further bend, leaving Dick to
do his best for their unconscious comrade. Within three hundred yards
Chippy saw a white house before him in lee of a fir coppice.

'His place, I know!' burst from Chippy's lips. The poor lad had fallen
almost within call of home. How narrowly had a tragedy been averted!

The Raven ran on, passed through another white wicket, and entered a
farmyard. A tall man was just dismounting from a cob.

'What, Fred, back already?' he cried, then stopped, for he saw it was
not Fred, but a stranger in scout's uniform. Chippy darted up to him.

'Fred's your boy as like as not,' he said. 'A scout same as me. Went
off on his bike a bit back, eh?'

'Yes,' said the farmer wonderingly; 'how do you come to know about him?
I've never set eyes on you before.'

'He's met with a bit o' an accident,' said Chippy, 'an' a comrade o'
mine found him an' sent me to get help. Seems I've come to the right
place, fust send on.'

'Where is he?' cried the farmer.

'Just along the medder-path,' replied Chippy, pointing; 'fell off his
bike, an' had a nasty tumble. Better bring summat to carry him.'

'Is he badly hurt?' cried the farmer in alarm.

'Well,' said Chippy, 'theer's a nasty cut on his arm, but we've stopped
the bleedin'.'

The farmer called to two men at work in a barn, and a door was hastily
lifted from its hinges. Then all three hurried along in the wake of
the Raven, who led the way back.

CHAPTER XLV

AT THE HARDYS' FARM

But scarcely had the party left the farmyard than they saw in the
distance the figure of a heavily laden scout. It was Dick marching
along with his injured comrade on his shoulders. A few moments after
Chippy departed in search of help, the wounded boy came to himself
under the influence of the cold water with which Dick bathed the hurt
and the boy's face.

'Hallo!' he murmured feebly. 'What's wrong? Have I got home?'

'Not just yet, old chap,' said Dick cheerily, 'but you'll soon be
there. A friend has gone ahead for help.'

'It's only a little way now,' muttered the injured boy.

'How far?' cried D