“All right,” said Piers at once.  “I’ll carry her.  I daresay she isn’t very heavy.  I say, little girl, you mustn’t cry.”  He patted her shoulder kindly.  “It hurts horribly, I know.  These things always do.  But you’re going to show me how plucky you can be.  Women are always braver than men, aren’t they, Mrs. Denys?”

Thus admonished, Jeanie lifted her face and made a valiant effort to regain her self-command.  But she clasped her two hands very tightly upon Piers’ arm so that he could not move to lift her.

“I’ll be brave in a minute,” she promised him tremulously.  “You won’t mind waiting—­just a minute?”

“Two, if you like,” said Piers.

Avery was stooping over the injured foot.  Jeanie was propped sideways, half-lying against Piers’ knee.

“Don’t touch it, please, Aunt Avery!” she whispered.

The other children had drawn round in an interested group.  “It looks like a fracture to me,” observed Olive in her precise voice.

Piers flashed her a withering glance.  “Mighty lot you know about it!” he retorted rudely.

Pat sniggered.  He was not fond of his second sister.  But his mirth was checked by the impulsive Gracie who pushed him aside with a brief, “Don’t be a pig!”

Olive retired into the background with her nose in the air, looking so absurdly like her father that a gleam of humour shot through even Piers’ sternness.  He suppressed it and turned to the two elder boys.

“Which of you is to be trusted to carry a loaded gun?”

“I am,” said Julian.

“No—­Ronald,” said Avery very firmly.

Julian stuck out his tongue at her, and was instantly pummeled therefor by the zealous Gracie.

“Ronald,” said Piers.  “Mind how you pick it up, and don’t point it at anyone!  Carry it on your shoulder!  That’s the way.  Go slow with it!  Now you walk in front and take it down to the lodge!”

He issued his orders with the air of a commanding-officer, and having issued them turned again with renewed gentleness to the child who lay against his arm.

“Now, little girl, shall we make a move?  I’m afraid postponing it won’t make it any better.  I’ll carry you awfully carefully.”

“Thank you,” whispered Jeanie.

He stooped over her.  “Put your arm round my neck!  That’ll be a help.  Mrs. Denys, can you steady her foot while I get up?”

Avery bent to do so.  He moved with infinite care; but even so the strain upon the foot was inevitable.  Jeanie gave a sharp cry, and sank helpless in his arms.

He began to speak encouragingly but broke off in the middle, feeling the child’s head lie limp upon his shoulder.

“Afraid it’s serious,” he said to Avery.  “We will get her down to the lodge and send for a doctor.”

“By Jove!  She’s fainted!” remarked Julian.  “It’s a jolly bad sprain.”

“It’s not a sprain at all,” said Olive loftily.