"There be soom men not a quarter of a mile away; they be a-drilling,
they be, and oi was sot here to stop any one from cooming upon
em; but if so bee as thou wilt go and tell em oi has got hurt, oi
don't suppose as they will meddle with ye."
Ned saw now why the lad had opposed his going any further. Some of
the croppers were drilling on the moor, and the boy had been placed
as sentry. It wasn't a pleasant business to go up to men so engaged,
especially with the news that he had seriously injured the boy they
had placed on watch. But Ned did not hesitate a moment.
"You stop here, Tompkins, with him," he said quietly, "I will go
and fetch help. It is a risk, of course, but we can't let him lie
here."
So saying, Ned mounted the rock to get a view over the moor. No
sooner had he gained the position than he saw some thirty or forty
men walking in groups across the moor at a distance of about half
a mile. They had evidently finished their drill, and were making
their way to their homes. This at least was satisfactory. He would
no longer risk their anger by disturbing them at their illegal
practices, and had now only to fear the wrath which would be excited
when they heard what had happened to the boy.
He started at a brisk run after them, and speedily came up to the
last of the party. They were for the most part men between twenty
and thirty, rough and strongly built, and armed with billhooks and
heavy bludgeons, two or three of them carrying guns.
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