enemies. He kicked down such a quantity of snow upon any one who
came near, that he held all at bay for some little time. At last,
however, he had disposed of all the snow within his reach, and they
were pelting him thickly with snow-balls. It was not at any time very
easy to stand upright, for long together, upon this wall, as the stones
which capped it were rounded. Now, when the coping-stones were slippery
after the frost, and Hugh nearly blinded with the shower of snow-balls,
he could not keep his footing, and was obliged to sit astride upon the
wall. This brought one foot within reach from below; and though Hugh
kicked, and drew up his foot as far and as often as he could, so as not
to lose his balance, it was snatched at by many hands. At last, one hand
kept its hold, and plenty more then fastened upon his leg. They pulled:
he clung. In another moment, down he came, and the large heavy
coping-stone, loosened by the frost, came after him, and fell upon his
left foot as he lay.

It was a dreadful shriek that he gave. Mrs. Watson heard it in her
store-room, and Mr. Tooke in his study. Some labourers felling a tree in
a wood, a quarter of a mile off, heard it, and came running to see what
could be the matter. The whole school was in a cluster round the poor
boy in a few seconds. During this time, while several were engaged in
lifting away the stone, Tooke stooped over him, and said, with his lips
as white as paper,

"Who was it that pulled you,--that got the first hold of you? Was it I?
O! say it was not I."

"It was you," said Hugh. "But never mind! You did not mean it."--He saw
that Tooke's pain was worse than his own, and he added, in a faint
whisper,

"Don't you tell, and then nobody will know. Mind you don't!"

One boy after another turned away from the sight of his foot, when the
stone was removed. Tooke fainted, but, then, so did another boy who had
nothing to do with the matter. Everybody who came up asked who did it;
and nobody could answer. Tooke did not hear; and so many felt themselves
concerned, that no one wished that any answer should be given.

"Who did it, my dear boy?" asked Firth, bending over him.

"Never mind!" was all Hugh could say. He groaned in terrible pain.

He must not lie there; but who could touch him? Firth did; and he was
the right person, as he was one of the strongest. He made two boys pass
their handkerchiefs under the leg, and sling it, without touching it;
and he lifted H