es when it
was loaded, and shot hisself when running among the bushes."

"Why, it's Magglin!" I shouted excitedly.

"What!" cried the keeper, holding the lantern lower, and Polly uttered a
cry. "Magglin it is!" he said, as the man opened his eyes, and gazed
wildly up at the lantern.

"Where are you hurt, my lad?" said the keeper quietly.

"My arm! my arm!" groaned the man piteously.

The keeper took out his knife, and, giving Mercer the lantern to hold,
deliberately slit up the sleeves of the injured man's jacket and shirt.

"Hah!" he ejaculated. "He's put the whole charge o' shot through his
arm, above the elbow;" and, hurriedly taking a piece of cord from his
jacket pocket, Hopley made a rough tourniquet, and stopped the bleeding
as much as he could.

"You, Polly," he said as he worked, "go down to the house and see Sir
Orkus. Tell him all about it, and ask him to send help, and some one
off for the surgeon. One of the young gents'll go with you, I dessay."

"I'll go with her," said Mercer, and they hurried away.

"There," said Hopley, as he finished his rough dressing of the wound, "I
can't do no more, and we can't carry him to my place. We must wait."

"Oh, Master 'Opley, sir," groaned the unfortunate man, "is it very bad?"

"Wait and hear what the doctor says, when he comes. I didn't do it, did
I?"

"No, sir; I was taking the gun to pieces, and she--Oh!"

"Bear up, man, bear up."

"I'll--I'll never go poaching any more," groaned Magglin, and his head
fell back.

"Never with two arms, my lad," said the keeper. "Poor fellow! my
fezzans do tempt 'em. He's fainted. Could you take the lantern, sir,
and find your way to my cottage?"

"Yes," I said eagerly; "what shall I do?"

"Open the corner cupboard, sir, and you'll find a small flask on the top
shelf--flask with a cup on it. Bring it, please. It's brandy: drop'll
bring him round."

I went off directly, saying a word to Lomax as I went, and returning
pretty quickly with the spirit, which had the effect of reviving the
sufferer.

Then we waited, till at the end of half an hour we heard voices, then
saw lights, and the General, with Polly, the butler, two gardeners, and
the groom, came up, the coachman having driven off to fetch the doctor;
and the wounded man was carefully raised, placed on a rug, and carried
off by four men, Hopley and the General following with the other
prisoner, who could walk, while Lomax and we two boys went slo