arter Bill."

Polly gave an exclamation of horror as the light fell upon Bill Swinton.
He was covered with blood. A clean cut extended from the top of the ear
to the point of the chin, another from the left shoulder to the breast,
while a third gash behind had cut through to the bone of the shoulder
blade.

"Never moind t' water, lass," Luke said as Polly with trembling hands
was about to wash the blood from the cut on the face, "the bluid won't
do un no harm--thou must stop t' bleeding."

Polly tore three or four long strips from the bottom of her dress. While
she was doing so one of the men by Luke's directions took the lantern
and gathered some short dry moss from the side of the slope, and laid
it in a ridge on the gaping wound. Then Luke with Polly's assistance
tightly bandaged Bill's head, winding the strips from the back of the
head round to the chin, and again across the temples and jaw. Luke took
out his knife and cut off the coat and shirt from the arms and shoulder,
and in the same way bandaged up the other two wounds.

After George had started to fetch the lantern, Luke had at Polly's
suggestion sent two men back to the village, and these had now returned
with doors they had taken off the hinges. When Bill's wounds were
bandaged he and Ned were placed on the doors, Ned giving a faint groan
as he was moved.

"That's roight," Luke said encouragingly; "he be a-cooming round."

Two coats were wrapped up and placed under their heads, and they were
then lifted and carried off, Polly hurrying on ahead to make up the fire
and get hot water.

"Say nowt to no one," Luke said as he started. "Till t' master cooms
round there ain't no saying what he'd loike done. Maybe he won't have
nowt said aboot it."

The water was already hot when the party reached the cottage; the blood
was carefully washed off Ned's head, and a great swelling with an ugly
gash running across was shown. Cold water was dashed in his face, and
with a gasp he opened his eyes.

"It be all roight, Maister Ned," Luke said soothingly; "it be all over
now, and you be among vriends. Ye've had an ugly one on the back o' thy
head, but I dowt thou wilt do rarely now."

Ned looked round vaguely, then a look of intelligence came into his
face.

"Where is Bill?" he asked.

"He be hurted sorely, but oi think it be only loss o' blood, and he will
coom round again; best lie still a few minutes, maister, thou wilt feel
better then; Polly, she be tendi