"Dog, am I? Well, it's enough to make me bite." "Bite away, then, Dummy. I can't lift my arm to hit you now." "Then I'll wait till you get well again. But it was mean. I never seem to get a chance." "Well, you are a grumbler, Dummy. Here, you've done what none of us could do--shown us how to end all this trouble, and pleased everybody, and yet you're not happy." "Happy?" said the boy; "who's to be happy after what I've done? Why, I shan't never dare to come past Ergles now in the dark." "Why?" "'Cause old Purlrose and his men'll come popping out to haunt me for getting 'em killed. I shall never like to come by there again." "They won't come out this way, Dum," said Mark, trying to look very serious; "they'll come the other way, and get into the mine to lie in wait for you in the dark parts, and heave blocks of stones at you." "Think they will, Master Mark?" gasped the boy, and his eyes and mouth opened wide. "Sure to." "Get out: you're laughing at me." "I'm more disposed to cry; to think of such a stout, brave lad as you should believe such nonsense." "Nonsense?" cried Dummy. "What, don't you be--believe in ghosts and bor--bogies, Master Mark?" "Do I look as if I did?" cried Mark contemptuously. "You wait till I get well, and if you tell me then that you believe in such silly old women's tales, I'll kick you." Dummy grinned. "You wouldn't," he said. "But I say, Master Mark, think old Purlrose will haunt me?" "Bah!" ejaculated Mark. "There, come along; I want to get home and let Master Rayburn do something to my bit of a wound. It hurts so I can hardly walk." "Here, let me carry you, Master Mark. Pig-a-back. I can." "No, no, Dummy, old lad; but you come to the castle to-morrow, and say you are to walk up and see me. I shall have to be put to bed, I expect, in the same room with young Ralph Darley." "Then I shan't come," said the boy, scowling. "Why?" "'Cause I don't like him, and I don't like to see his father and their girl took there as if they were friends." "They are now, Dum, and there isn't going to be any more fighting in the vale." It was a strange scene when the slow procession wound its way up the zigzag, at the top of which Mary Eden and Master Rayburn were waiting with the women and the tiny wounded garrison to receive the fresh party of injured folk. Mary ran to her wounded father to embrace him, and then to Minnie Darley, to whom she held out her hands, and the people cheered as the two girls kissed. Mary was about to lead the trembling girl in, but she shook her head and went to her father's side; and then Mary looked round for her brother, and ran to him, as he came up leaning upon Dummy's arm. "Oh, Mark, darling! hurt?" she cried, flinging her arms about his neck.