you?"

I nodded, and then lay back with my eyes closed; the pain caused even by
that slight movement being agonising.

Dean saw it, and rose to moisten a sponge with cool water, and apply it
to my temples, with the effect that the faint sensation coming on died
away.

"Don't--please don't try to move again," he whispered, piteously. "You
don't know how it hurts."

The idea of its hurting Esau sounded so comical to me in my weak state
that I could not help smiling. "That's right," he said; "laugh again,
and then I shall know I needn't go and fetch him. I say, do make haste
and get better. Shall I tell you all about it? Don't speak; only say
`yes' and `no' with your eyes. Keep 'em open if you mean _yes_, and
shut 'em for _no_. Now then, shall I tell you?"

I kept looking at him fixedly.

"That means yes. Well, I was bringing the gun, when I tripped and fell
and it went off, and I wished it had shot me instead."

Esau gave a gulp here, and got up and began to walk up and down the
room, pressing first one hand and then the other under his arms as if in
pain from a cut at school with the cane; and for some moments the poor
fellow was suffering so from emotion that he could not continue. At
last he went on in obedience to an eager look from my eyes.

"I run up just as he caught you, and tore off your things. Oh, it was
horrid. I felt when I saw what I'd done, and him bandaging you up, as
if I'd killed you. But you don't feel so bad now. You ain't going to
die, are you? Say you ain't."

I kept my eyes fixed on his, forgetting in my excitement what I ought to
have done, when a cry brought me to myself, and I closed my eyes
sharply.

"Ah, that's better," cried Esau, and kneeling down by my bed he went on
telling me how, as soon as I was bandaged, Mr Raydon cut two light
poles and bound short pieces across them. Then on these he laid
pine-boughs, and I was lifted up, for them to convey me slowly down the
ravine, and back to the Fort.

"I say," whispered Esau, "I thought last night he meant to cheat us, and
get all the gold for himself; but I don't think so now. Wish he liked
me as much as he likes you. What? Do I think he does like you? Yes;
I'm sure of it. He was in a taking last night. And I say--ain't he
quite a doctor too? He could do anything, I believe. There, I mustn't
talk to you any more, because you were to be kept quiet."

It must not be imagined that Esau had kept on saying all th