“Joe!  Joe!” said John, “only speak, only look, Joe, if you can, we are so frightened.”—­No answer.

“Joe!” said Fred, and he tried to raise him.  No assistance and no resistance; Joe fell back passive on the arm of his friend, yes, friend—­they were no longer enemies you know.  Had Fred returned evil for evil, had he rushed on him as he first intended when he received the sod from White, he would not have felt as he now did.  The boys, who, out of mischief, to use the mildest word, tempted him to climb to a height, beyond that which even they themselves could have accomplished, were not to be envied in their feelings.  Poor fellows, and yet they only did what many a reckless, mischievous school boy has done and is doing every day; they only meant to tease him a bit, to pay him off for being so spiteful all the way, and so cross to Fred when he spoke.  But it was no use trying to still the voice which spoke loudly within them, which told them that they had acted with heartless cruelty, and that their conduct had, perhaps, cost a fellow-creature his life.

“Will you wait with him whilst I run to L——­ for papa?” said Fred.

“What alone?” they cried.

“Alone! why there are four of you, will be at least when Riches comes back.”

“Oh no! no! do you stay Fred, you are the only one that knows what you are after.”

“Well, which of you will go then?  It is near two miles, and you must run, for his life—­mind that.”  No one stirred, and Riches at this moment coming up with the water, Fred told him in few words what he meant to do, and bade him go and stand by the poor lad.  That was all that could be done, and “Riches don’t be hard on them; their consciences are telling them all you could tell them.  Don’t lecture them, I mean; you would not like it yourself.”

Off ran Fred, and to his great joy, spying a cart, with one of farmer Crosse’s men in it, he hailed it, told his tale, and thus they were at L——­ in a very short space of time.  Terrified indeed was Mrs. Parker at the sight of her son driving furiously up in farmer Crosse’s spring-cart, and his black eye and swelled face did not tend to pacify her on nearer inspection.  The father, a little more used to be called out in a hurry, and to prepare for emergencies, was not so alarmed, but had self-possession enough to remember what would be needed, and to collect various articles for the patient’s use.

The journey to the wood was speedily accomplished, but the poor lads who were keeping watch, often said afterwards that it seemed to them almost a lifetime, such was the crowd of fearful and wretched thoughts and forebodings, such the anxiety, and hopelessness of their situation.  There in the silence of the wood lay their young companion, stretched lifeless, and they were the cause.  The least rustle amongst the leaves they mistook for a movement of the sufferer; but he moved not.  How did they watch Mr. Parker’s face as he knelt down and applied his fingers to the boy’s wrist first, and then to his heart!  With what intense anxiety did they watch the preparations for applying remedies and restoratives!  “Was he, was he dead, quite dead?” they asked.  No, not dead, but the doctor shook his head seriously, and their exclamations of joy and relief were soon checked.