thel!'

'Let me try to stop this bleeding first,' said Leonard. 'My dear
little man, if you will only be quiet, I think I can.'

Leonard took the handkerchief from his throat, and wound it to its
tightest just above the hurt, Dickie remonstrating for a moment with,
'That's not the place. It is too tight.'

'It will cut off the blood from coming,' said Leonard; and in the same
understanding way, the child submitted, feebly asking, 'Shall I bleed
to death? Mamma will be so sorry!'

'I trust--I hope not,' said Leonard; he durst utter no encouragement,
for the life-blood continued to pour forth unchecked, and the next
murmur was, 'I'm so sick. I can't say my prayers. Papa! Mamma!'
Already, however, Leonard had torn down a holly bough, and twisted off
(he would have given worlds for a knife) a short stout stick, which he
thrust into one of the folds of the ligature, and pulled it much
tighter, so that his answer was, 'Thank God, Dickie, that will do! the
bleeding has stopped. You must not mind if it hurts for a little
while.'

An ejaculation of 'Poor little dear,' here made him aware of the
presence of the sexton's wife; but in reply to her offer to carry him
in to Mrs. Cheviot's, Dickie faintly answered, 'Please let me go home;'
and Leonard, 'Yes, I will take him home. Tell Miss May it is a cut
from the glass, I am taking him to have it dressed, and will bring him
home. Now, my dear little patient fellow, can you put your arms round
my neck?'

Sensible, according to both meanings of the word, Dickie clasped his
friend's neck, and laid his head on his shoulder, not speaking again
till he found Leonard was not turning towards the High Street, when he
said, 'That is not the way home.'

'No, Dickie, but we must get your leg bound up directly, and the
hospital is the only place where we can be sure of finding any one to
do it. I will take you home directly afterwards.'

'Thank you,' said the courteous little gentleman; and in a few minutes
more Leonard had rung the bell, and begged the house surgeon would come
at once to Dr. May's grandson. A few drops of stimulant much revived
Dickie, and he showed perfect trust and composure, only holding
Leonard's hands, and now and then begging to know what they were doing,
while he was turned over on his face for the dressing of the wound,
bearing all without a sound, except an occasional sobbing gasp,
accompanied by a squeeze of Leonard's finger. Just as this business