o
myself when they pounced on me, if I gives 'em all their work to do,
they'll be so busy that they won't see Mas' Don, and he'll be able to
get right away. Why didn't you slither and go?"

"Because I should have been leaving you in the lurch, Jem; and I didn't
want to do that."

"Well, I--well, of all--there!--why, Mas' Don, did you feel that way?"

"Of course I did."

"And you wouldn't get away because I couldn't?"

"That's what I thought, Jem."

"Well, of all the things I ever heared! Now I wonder whether I should
have done like that if you and me had been twisted round; I mean, if you
had gone down first and been caught."

"Of course you would, Jem."

"Well, that's what I don't know, Mas' Don. I'm afraid I should have
waited till they'd got off with you, and slipped down and run off."

"I don't think you'd have left me, Jem."

"I dunno, my lad. I should have said to myself, I can bring them as 'ud
help get Mas' Don out; and gone."

Don thought of his own feelings, and remained silent.

"I say, Mas' Don, though, it's a bad job being caught; but the rope was
made strong enough, warn't it?"

"Yes, but it was labour in vain."

"Well, p'r'aps it was, sir; but I'm proud of that rope all the same.
Oh!"

Jem uttered a dismal groan.

"Are you hurt, Jem?"

"Hurt, sir! I just am hurt--horrible. 'Member when I fell down and the
tub went over me?"

"And broke your ribs, and we thought you were dead? Yes, I remember."

"Well, I feel just the same as I did then. I went down and a lot of 'em
fell on me, and I was kicked and jumped on till I'm just as if all the
hoops was off my staves, Mas' Don; but that arn't the worst of it,
because it won't hurt me. I'm a reg'lar wunner to mend again. You
never knew any one who got cut as could heal up as fast as me. See how
strong my ribs grew together, and so did my leg when I got kicked by
that horse."

"But are you in much pain now?"

"I should just think I am, Mas' Don; I feel as if I was being cut up
with blunt saws as had been made red hot first."

"Jem, my poor fellow!" groaned Don.

"Now don't go on like that, Mas' Don, and make it worse."

"Would they give us a candle, Jem, do you think, if I was to knock?"

"Not they, my lad; and I don't want one. You'd be seeing how queer I
looked if you got a light. There, sit down and let's talk."

Don groped along by the damp wall till he reached the place where his
companion lay, and then went down