looked back, over the tops of the reeds,
at the boys who were brook-leaping.

"Would you like to know who it was that did it, Dale?"

"Yes, if you like to tell; but----And if he treats you ill, after the
way you used him, he cannot expect you should consider him
so----Besides, I am your best friend; and I always tell you everything!"

"Yes, that you do. And he has treated me so shamefully to-day! And I
have nobody to speak to that knows. You will promise never--never to
tell anybody as long as you live."

"To be sure," said Dale.

"And you wont tell anybody that I have told you."

"To be sure not."

"Well, then----"

Here there was a rustling among the reeds which startled them both, with
a sort of guilty feeling. It was Holt, quite out of breath.

"I don't want to interrupt you," said he, "and I know you wish I would
not come; but the others made me come. The biggest boys lay that the
second size can't jump the brook at the willow-stump; and the
second-size boys want Dale to try. They made me come. I could not help
it."

Hugh looked at Dale, with eyes which said, as plainly as eyes could
speak, "You will not go----you will not leave me at such a moment?"

But Dale was not looking at his face, but at the clusters of boys beside
the brook. He said--

"You will not mind my going, just for one leap. It will hardly take a
minute. I shall not stay for a game. But I must have just one leap."

And he was off. Holt looked after him, and then towards Hugh, hesitating
whether to go or stay. Hugh took no notice of him: so he went slowly
away; and Hugh was left alone.

He was in an extreme perturbation. At the first moment, he was beyond
measure hurt with Dale. He did not think his best friend would have so
reminded him of his infirmity, and of his being a restraint on his
companions. He did not think any friend could have left him at such a
moment. Then it occurred to him,

"What, then, am I? If Dale was selfish, what was I? I was just going to
tell what would have pointed out Tooke to him for life. I know as well
as can be that it was all accident his pulling me off the wall; and yet
I was going to bring it up against him; and for the very reason why I
should not,--because he has not behaved well to me. I was just going to
spoil the only good thing I ever did for anybody in my life. But it is
spoiled--completely spoiled. I shall never be able to trust myself
again. It is all by mere accident that it is not all