ought
the boy, pausing for a last survey of the great, sunny field, which had
no place of shelter in it but one rock on the other side of the little
stream. As his eye wandered over it, something dark seemed to blow out
from behind it, as if the wind played in the folds of a shirt, or a
human limb moved. Away went Lita, and in a moment Ben had found Miss
Celia, lying in the shadow of the rock, so white and motionless, he
feared that she was dead. He leaped down, touched her, spoke to her;
and, receiving no answer, rushed away to bring a little water in his
leaky hat to sprinkle in her face, as he had seen them do when any of
the riders got a fall in the circus, or fainted from exhaustion after
they left the ring, where "do or die" was the motto all adopted.

In a minute, the blue eyes opened, and she recognized the anxious face
bending over her, saying faintly, as she touched it,--

"My good little Ben, I knew you'd find me,--I sent Lita for you,--
I'm so hurt, I couldn't come."

"Oh, where? What shall I do? Had I better run up to the house?" asked
Ben, overjoyed to hear her speak, but much dismayed by her seeming
helplessness, for he had seen bad falls, and had them, too.

"I feel bruised all over, and my arm is broken, I'm afraid. Lita tried
not to hurt me. She slipped, and we went down. I came here into the
shade, and the pain made me faint, I suppose. Call somebody, and get me
home."

Then she shut her eyes, and looked so white that Ben hurried away, and
burst upon old Mrs. Paine, placidly knitting at the end door, so
suddenly that, as she afterward said, "It sca't her like a clap o'
thunder."

"Ain't a man nowheres around. All down in the big medder gettin' in
hay," was her reply to Ben's breathless demand for "everybody to come
and see to Miss Celia."

He turned to mount, for he had flung himself off before Lita stopped,
but the old lady caught his jacket, and asked half a dozen questions in
a breath.

"Who's your folks? What's broke? How'd she fall? Where is she? Why
didn't she come right here? Is it a sunstroke?"

As fast as words could tumble out of his mouth, Ben answered, and then
tried to free himself; but the old lady held on, while she gave her
directions, expressed her sympathy, and offered her hospitality with
incoherent warmth.

"Sakes alive! poor dear! Fetch her right in. Liddy, get out the
camphire; and, Melissy, you haul down a bed to lay her on. Falls is
dretful uncert'in things