ork. Ah! here comes the master. Now we shall see."

For the doctor was coming cantering toward them over the level ground
from about a quarter of a mile away, and Nic felt vexed and in dread of
what was to follow.

"Is it hurt, Leather?" he said.

"Yes, sir, badly--its leg's broken," replied the man; and bending down,
he placed his arms round the poor animal, raised it up on to his
shoulder, and began to climb with difficulty out of the rift. As he
reached the edge he nearly slipped back.

"Why don't you help?" cried Nic angrily; but Brookes did not stir; and
if the boy had not darted forward and got a good pull of the wool, man
and sheep would have toppled backward to the bottom.

"Thank you, sir," said the convict. "There's no foothold, and I lost my
balance. One moment. That's it;" and the sheep was rolled off his
shoulder on to the grass.

"What's the matter?" cried the doctor, cantering up, leaping down, and
throwing the reins over his horse's head on to the grass, when the
beautiful animal stood still.

"One o' the best ewes down in that grip. I come and found it just now."

"Yes, but you didn't try to get it out," said Nic.

"It warn't in my charge," growled Brookes.

"How was this, my man?" said the doctor. "You were set to look after
them."

"Yes, sir," said the convict respectfully. "The sheep were all right a
quarter of an hour ago."

"Yes, and they'd ha' been all right now if you'd looked arter them
'stead o' wasting your time fishing," growled Brookes. "I'm glad
master's here to know."

"Were you fishing, sir?" said the doctor sternly; but before Leather
could answer Nic cried quickly:

"No, father, he wasn't. He came down to the river to get me a few
baits. I wanted him there. Why didn't Brookes help the sheep out?"

"Because it was the other man's duty, sir," said the doctor quickly; and
Leather gave the boy a sharp look, as much as to say, "Don't speak, sir;
you'll make things worse."

"Ah, you needn't signal the young master to take yer part," cried
Brookes. "It's true enough; you ain't worth your salt on the station."

"That will do, Brookes," said the doctor.

"Oh, I don't want to say nothing, sir. I was only looking arter your
property."

"Tut, tut, tut!" cried the doctor, as he felt the sheep's leg. "One of
my choicest ewes. The leg's broken. That active sheep couldn't have
broken its leg through falling down there. It would have jumped it like
a goat. Wh