should think you hardly could be in more pain than you are now,"
replied Mr. Tooke. "I trust they will relieve you of this pain. I should
not wonder if you are asleep to-night as quietly as any of us; and then
you will not mind what they may have done to you."

Hugh thought he should mind nothing, if he could ever be asleep again.

He was soon asked if he would like to see his uncle and aunt, who were
come. He wished to see his uncle; and Mr. Shaw came up, with the
surgeon. Mr. Annanby did scarcely anything to the foot at present. He
soon covered it up again, and said he would return in time to meet the
surgeon who was expected from London. Then Hugh and his uncle were
alone.

Mr. Shaw told him how sorry the boys all were, and how they had come in
from the playground at once, and put themselves under Firth, to be kept
quiet; and that very little dinner had been eaten; and that, when the
writing-master arrived, he was quite astonished to find everything so
still, and the boys so spiritless: but that nobody told him till he
observed how two or three were crying, so that he was sure something was
the matter.

"Which? Who? Who is crying?" asked Hugh.

"Poor Phil, and I do not know who else,--not being acquainted with the
rest."

"How glad I am that Dale had nothing to do with it!" said Hugh. "He was
quite on the other side of the playground."

"They tell me below that I must not ask you how it happened."

"Oh yes! you may. Everything except just who it was that pulled me down.
So many got hold of me that nobody knows exactly who gave _the_ pull,
except myself and one other. He did not mean it; and I was cross about
playing with them; and the stone on the wall was loose, or it would not
have happened. O dear! O dear! Uncle, do you think it a bad accident?"

"Yes, my boy, a very bad accident."

"Do you think I shall die? I never thought of that," said Hugh. And he
raised himself a little, but was obliged to lie back again.

"No; I do not think you will die."

"Will they think so at home? Was that the reason they were sent to?"

"No: I have no doubt your mother will come to nurse you, and to comfort
you: but----"

"To comfort me? Why, Mr. Tooke said the pain would soon be over, he
thought, and I should be asleep to-night."

"Yes; but, though the pain may be over, it may leave you lame. That will
be a misfortune; and you will be glad of your mother to comfort you."

"Lame!" said the boy. Then, as he looked wi