wn by the side of him, and found that he was
senseless, but breathing heavily. Joey untied the handkerchief which
was round his neck, and which was apparently very tight, and almost
immediately afterwards the man appeared relieved and opened his eyes.
After a little time he contrived to utter one word, "Water!" and Joey,
taking up the empty saucepan, proceeded in search of it. He soon found
some, and brought it back. The tinker had greatly recovered during his
absence, and as soon as he had drunk the water, sat upright.

"Don't leave me, boy," said the tinker; "I feel very faint."

"I will stay by you as long as I can be of any use to you," replied
Joey; "what has happened?"

"Robbed and almost murdered!" replied the man, with a groan.

"Was it by those two rascals without shoes and stockings who attempted
to rob me?" inquired Joey.

"Yes, the same, I've no doubt. I must lie down for a time, my head is
so bad," replied the man, dropping back upon the grass.

In a few minutes the exhausted man fell asleep, and Joey remained
sitting by his side for nearly two hours. At last, his new companion
awoke, raised himself up, and, dipping his handkerchief into the
saucepan of water, washed the blood from his head and face.

"This might have been worse, my little fellow," said he to Joey, after
he had wiped his face; "one of those rascals nearly throttled me, he
pulled my handkerchief so tight. Well, this is a wicked world, this, to
take away a fellow-creature's life for thirteenpence-halfpenny, for that
was all the money they found in my pocket. I thought an itinerant
tinker was safe from highway robbery, at all events. Did you not say
that they attacked you, or did I dream it?"

"I did say so; it was no dream."

"And how did a little midge like you escape?"

Joey gave the tinker a detail of what had occurred.

"Cleverly done, boy, and kindly done now to come to my help, and to
remain by me. I was going down the road, and as you have come down, I
presume we are going the same way," replied the tinker.

"Do you feel strong enough to walk now?"

"Yes, I think I can; but there's the grindstone."

"Oh, I'll wheel that for you."

"Do, that's a good boy, for I tremble very much, and it would be too
heavy for me now."

Joey fixed his bundle with the saucepan, etcetera, upon the
knife-grinder's wheel, and rolled it along the road, followed by the
tinker, until they came to a small hamlet, about two miles from