ly removed his jacket and waistcoat and laid
them down. Then he said:

"Now, Nelly, I be ready for a welting, I ha' deserved it if ever a chap
did, and I'll take it. Here's the stick, and he's a good un and will
sting rare, I warrant."

The girl sat up and looked at him through her tears.

"Oh, Jack, and didst really think I wanted to welt thee?"

"I didn't know whether thou didst or no, Nelly, but thou said thou
hate'st me, and wi' good reason, so if thou likest to welt me here's the
stick."

The girl laughed through her tears. "Ah! Jack, thou must think that I am
a wild cat, as John Dobson called me t'other day. Throw away that stick,
Jack. I would rather a thousand times that thou laidst it on my
shoulders than I on thine."

Jack threw away the stick, put on his coat and waistcoat, and sat down
on the bank.

"What is it then, lass? I know I were cruel to have thee called forward,
but I didn't think o't; but I had rather that thou beat me as I orter be
beaten, than that thou should go on hating me."

"I doan't hate thee, Jack, though I said so; I hate myself; but I like
thee better nor all, thou art so brave and good."

"No braver than thou, Nelly," Jack said earnestly; "I doan't understand
why thou should first say thou hates me and then that thou doan't; but
if thou are in earnest, that thou likest me, we'll be friends. I don't
mean that we go for walks together, and such like, as some boys and
girls do, for I ha' no time for such things, and I shouldn't like it
even if I had; but I'll take thy part if anyone says owt to thee, and
thou shalt tell me when thou art very bad at hoam"--for the failings of
Nelly's parents were public property. "Thou shalt be a friend to me, not
as a lass would be, but as Harry is, and thou woan't mind if I blow thee
up, and tells 'ee of things. Thou stook to me by the side o' the shaft,
and I'll stick to thee."

"I'll do that," the girl said, laying her hand in his. "I'll be thy
friend if thou'lt let me, not as lasses are, but as lads."

And so the friendship was ratified, and they walked back together to the
village. When he came to think it over, Jack was inclined to repent his
bargain, for he feared that she would attach herself to him, and that he
would have much laughter to endure, and many battles to fight. To his
surprise Nelly did nothing of the sort. She would be at her door every
morning as he went by to the pit and give him a nod, and again as he
returned. Whenev