e quiet."

The Vicar stole in, stayed for some time, and then came out as silently
as he had gone in, to look inquiringly at the doctor.

"You think he will die?" he said.

"I hope not," replied the doctor earnestly. "Not if I can prevent it."

Just then there was another visitor to the cottage in the person of
Uncle Richard, while soon after David appeared round the corner, where
there was a sharp bend in the lane, having risen and started an hour
earlier so as to come round by Mother Warboys', and inquire about the
injured lad.

"Don't you go a-thinking that I keer a nutshell about Pete Warboys,
Master Tom," said David, as he was looking into the cottage with the boy
by his side, "because I don't, and it sims to me as the fewer Pete
Warboyses there is in the world the better we should be. It warn't him
I come about's mornin'--not Pete, you know, but the lad as had had an
accident, and got nearly killed. See?"

"Yes, I see, David," said Tom, nodding his head.

"It's him as has got the friends--the young accident--not Pete. Say,
Master Tom?"

"Yes."

"If Pete Warboys dies--"

"Hush! don't talk about it," cried Tom in horror.

"Oh, cert'ny not, sir, if you don't wish me to. May I talk about the
dog?"

"Oh yes, of course," cried Tom, as he looked round at the bright,
smiling earth, glittering with diamond-like dew, and thought how
terrible it would be for one so young to be snatched away.

"Well, sir, I was thinking a deal about that dog last night, for I
couldn't sleep, being a bit overcome like."

"Yes, I was awake a long time," said Tom, with a sigh.

"Not so long as I was, sir, I'll bet a bewry pear. Well, sir, I lay
a-thinking that if--mind, I only says if, sir--if Pete Warboys was to
die, how would it be, if master didn't say no, and I was to knock him up
a barrel for a kennel to live in our yard?"

"I should ask uncle to let me keep him, David, for he's a wonderful
dog."

"I don't go so far as that, sir, for he's a dog as has had a horful bad
eddication, but something might be made of him; and it was a pity,
seeing why he came yowling about our place, as you was so handy heaving
stones at him."

"What?" cried Tom indignantly.

"Well, sir, p'r'aps it was me. But it weer a pity, warn't it?"

"Brutal," cried Tom.

"Ah, it weer. He's a horful hugly dog though."

"Not handsome certainly," replied Tom.

"That he arn't, sir, nowheres. But if he was fed reg'lar like, so as to
alter