may be," observed a second.

"Did a rolley strike him, think you?" asked a third.

"I don't know," answered the father; "I can't find where he's hurt. But
do let us get up, he may chance to come to in fresh air."

As he spoke, the "skip," or "bowk," used for descending and ascending
the shaft, reached the bottom, and Samuel Kempson and his boy were
helped into it, and with some of the other men, began their ascent. The
father held the boy in his arms, and watched his countenance as they
neared the light which came down from the mouth of the pit; first a mere
speck, like a star at night, and growing larger and larger as they got
up higher.

An eyelid moved, the lip quivered: "He's alive, he's alive!" he
exclaimed joyfully.

As soon as he reached the top, he ran off with Dick in his arms to his
cottage.

Mrs Kempson saw him coming. "What! another of them hurt?" she cried
out: "God help us!"

"I don't know," said Kempson; "the child is very ill, if not dead
already. Let us put him to bed and send for the doctor. It's more than
you or I can do to cure him of ourselves."

Poor Dick was breathing, and twitching with his hands, but was quite
unconscious. His black clothes were taken off him by his mother, who
washed and put him to bed, while Samuel went to fetch the doctor
attached to the mines. The doctor at once said that something had
shaken his nerves, that he must be kept quiet, but well fed and amused.
He had had a fright, that was it. Samuel knew the tricks that were
played, and he guessed that some one had frightened Dick, and resolved
to find out who it was, if he could. The best thing they could do for
Dick just then, after he had taken the doctor's stuff, was to send for
David Adams to come and amuse him. David, who had just come up from the
pit, very gladly came as soon as he had washed, and brought his most
amusing books, and he sat and read by Dick's bedside. This did Dick a
great deal of good, and while he listened to David's reading, he almost
forgot his fright.

The next day, which was Sunday, he was a great deal better, and David
came again to spend the day with him. Nobody went from the village to a
place of worship, the nearest was some way off, the men were tired, and
the women wanted to tidy their houses. The afternoon was very fine, and
while the people were sitting at their doors, or standing about in
groups in the dirty, unpaved street, a gentleman came among them with a
small