“The little ’un is dead beat.  Here—­let me hoist you on my back, I’d as lief go to Crockton as anywhere else to-night, and I know every inch of these hills, I’ve been looking after cattle here since I were a babby!  There now, ain’t that better?”

Roy was too tired out to resist, though he made a faint protest, and Dudley seeing him comfortably settled on the broad shoulders of the lad, trotted along contentedly by his side.

“How did you find us?  Did you hear us shouting?”

“I was trapping some moles close to yer, as ye came on.”

“Where do you live?  And what’s your name?”

“I’m called Rob.  I don’t live nowheres now.  Got chucked out last night!”

And Rob gave a short laugh as he spoke.

“Where from?”

“Well, you see there’s a lot of us, and the old woman—­she’s my stepmother—­she told me she wouldn’t keep me no longer.  My father—­he died last year, and work is hard to get.  I’ll tramp into some town and try my luck there.”

“Then where were you going to sleep to-night?”

“Sleep?  Oh, bless yer—­there’s plenty o’ room and accommodation in the open.  And I haven’t been about these parts for so long without knowing many a snug corner.  I could show yer plenty a one.  My pet one has been found out by some old chap lately.  He goes into it and digs up quantities o’ stones and then sits and hugs them, all as if they was gold!  I laugh to see him sometimes!”

“Why that must be old Principle, and that’s the cave he thinks so much of!  He looks for bones.”

Rob gave another of his hearty laughs.

“Well, if he has a taste that way, why don’t he go to a churchyard, he’ll dig to more success there.”

“No, it’s only animals’ bones he likes, very, very old ones.”

They tramped on, and then Roy asked if he could be put down, and Dudley given a lift instead.  Rob good-naturedly assented, but some minutes were spent in altercation between the two boys before Dudley would consent to this arrangement.

“You’re as tired as I am,” persisted Roy.

“Oh, no, I’m not—­at least it’s only my legs.  You see I haven’t a chest like you.  I’ll manage, it’s always you that gets home ill, I never do.”

“I can’t help it,” said Roy, in a shaky voice; “I know I shall never be good for anything, I don’t think I’m much better than a girl, I suppose I ought to have been made one.”

Roy was always in the depths of misery when he came to this climax, and Dudley hastened to reassure him.

“Rot!  You’re as good a walker as I any day.  Yes, I’ll have a ride on your back, Rob, if you like.  I’m nearly done for, and Roy looks quite fresh again.”

There was great commotion when the trio reached the Manor at last.  Miss Bertram came out into the hall to greet them with an anxious face.

“Oh, you scamps!  You’ll turn my hair grey before long.  Where have you been?  Half the village has turned out to look for you!  What mischief have you been up to?”