“Ay, ay, so I would, surely.  No—­the mender has turned into a breaker this time, ’tis a good thing it’s only himself that he has broken up.”

A slight groan escaped him, and Roy softly stroked his face, a broken sob escaping him.

“Oh, old Principle, how I wish I was strong, how I wish I could move you!  You aren’t broken up!  Don’t say you are.  Couldn’t I help you to roll over on your back, wouldn’t that be better?”

After great effort this was partly accomplished, and then to Roy’s intense relief he heard voices above.

Running to the opening he shouted: 

“Here we are!  Help us out, or old Principle will die!”

But it was some time before the rescue could be accomplished.  The opening was small enough to let Roy through, but not old Principle, and the boy refused to leave the old man.  Pickaxes and shovels were set heartily to work, and after half an hour’s hard toil, the old man was gently raised out of his dangerous position, and placed in the cart.  Roy was put in with him, and Dudley walked by the side in silence until they reached the village.  There was a great stir and excitement over their return.  Mrs. Selby and their aunt met the boys at the entrance of the village, and Miss Bertram looked anxiously at Roy’s little white set face.

He could not be torn away from his old friend till he heard the doctor’s verdict, and it was a far more hopeful one than anybody had anticipated.

“It is a marvellous escape.  Not a bone broken, but of course he is terribly bruised and shaken, and very stiff.”

“I’ll sit with him till we can get a proper nurse,” said good-natured Mrs. Selby; “he seems to have no kith or kin belonging to him.  It will be a lesson to him, for life, I hope, and will put a stop to all this delving and digging and unearthing what is best left alone.  It only fosters scepticism in the minds of the ignorant, and teaches them to disbelieve their Bibles!”

Old Principle looked up with a smile after the doctor’s visit.

“Is little Master Roy there?”

Roy pressed forward eagerly.

“I’m thinking, laddie, that you and Master Dudley have had a rare good opportunity of saving a poor old man’s life, and he is duly grateful to you.”

But Roy was very near tears.

“I’m so glad—­so glad your legs aren’t broken,” he said, in a quivering voice, “anything is better than being suddenly turned into a cripple!”

And then bending over him he kissed the furrowed brow, and crept out of the room.

XIV

HEROES

Old Principle’s accident was a great event in the village.  The boys got their fair share of praise in his rescue, but their grandmother did not see it in such a favorable light.