fter what
you did about the sponge, I could not think you meant any harm to me."

Tooke could not remember anything about a sponge; and when he was told,
he thought nothing of it. He went on--

"Do you think you shall never tell anybody, as long as you live, who
pulled you first?"

"Never," said Hugh, "unless I tell it in my sleep; and that is not
likely, for I never think about it in the daytime,--or scarcely ever;
and when I can run about again, I dare say I shall never think of it at
all."

"But will you ever run about?"

"O yes! finely, you will see. I shall begin first with a little
stick-leg, very light. Mother is going to send some for me to try. When
I am a man, I shall have one that will look like a real foot; but that
will not be so light as the one you will see me with after the holidays.
But you do not half know what I can do now, with my crutches. Here, I
will show you."

As he flourished about, and played antics, Agnes heard the pit-pat of
his crutches, and she thought she might as well have been there, if they
had told all their secrets, and had got to play. But the noise did not
last long, for Hugh's performances did not make Tooke very merry; and
the boys sat down quietly again.

"Now, I'll tell you what," said Tooke. "I am a bigger and stronger boy
than you, without considering this accident. I'll take care of you all
the time you are at Crofton: and always afterwards, if I can. Mind you
that. If anybody teases you, you call me,--that's all. Say you will."

"Why," said Hugh, "I had rather take care of myself. I had rather make
no difference between you and everybody else."

"There now! You don't forgive me, after all."

"I do,--upon my word, I do. But why should I make any difference between
you and the rest, when you did not mean me any harm,--any more than
they? Besides, it might make people suspect."

"Well, let them. Sometimes I wish," continued Tooke, twisting himself
about in the uneasiness of his mind, "sometimes I wish that everybody
knew now. They say murderers cannot keep their secret. They are sure to
tell, when they cannot bear it any longer."

"That is because of their consciences," said Hugh. "But you are not
guilty of anything, you know. I am sure I can keep a secret easily
enough, when I am not to blame in it."

"Yes? you have shown that. But----"

"Come! don't let us talk any more about that.--Only just this. Has
anybody accused you? Because I must know,--I must be on