huge
pillar-like trunks which had seemed to bar his way was passed, and he
slipped down a chalky bank to lie within sight of the water but unable
to reach it, utterly spent, when he heard a familiar voice give the
Australian call--"Coo-ee!" and he tried to raise a hand but it fell
back.

Directly after a voice cried:

"Hi! Here he is!"

The voice was Distin's, and as he heard it Vane fainted dead away.

The Weathercock--by George Manville Fenn

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

THE LAW ASKS QUESTIONS.

Seeing the rush made by Gilmore and Macey, Bruff hesitated for a few
moments, and then turned and shouted to Joseph, the next man.

"They've fun suthin," and ran after them.

Joseph turned and shouted to Wrench, the carpenter.

"They've got him," and followed Bruff.

Wrench shouted to Chakes and ran after Joseph, and in this
House-that-Jack-built fashion the news ran along the line to the doctor
and rector, and right to the end, with the result that all came hurrying
along in single-file, minute by minute increasing the size of the group
about where Vane lay quite insensible now.

"Poor old chap," cried Macey, dropping on his knees by his friend's
side, Gilmore kneeling on the other, and both feeling his hands and
face, which were dank and cold, while Distin stood looking down grimly
but without offering to stir.

"Don't say he's dead, sir," panted Bruff.

"No, no, he's not dead," cried Macey. "Fetch some water; no, run for
the doctor."

"He's coming, sir," cried Joseph, shading his eyes to look along the
line. "He won't be long. Hi--hi--yi! Found, found, found!" roared the
man, and his cry was taken up now and once more the news flew along the
line, making all redouble their exertions, even the rector, who had not
done such a thing for many years, dropping into the old football pace of
his youth, with his fists up and trotting along after the doctor.

But the progress was very slow. It was a case of the more haste the
worst speed, for a bee-line through ancient gorse bushes and brambles is
not perfection as a course for middle-aged and elderly men not
accustomed to go beyond a walk. Every one in his excitement caught the
infection, and began to run, but the mishaps were many. Chakes, whose
usual pace was one mile seven furlongs per hour, more or less, tripped
and went down; and as nobody stopped to help him, three men passed him
before he had struggled up and began to look about for his hat. The
n