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 wistfully in his uncle's face, he saw the truth. "Oh! Uncle, they are going to cut off my leg." "Not your leg, I hope, Hugh. You will not be quite so lame as that: but I am afraid you must lose your foot." "Was that what Mr Tooke meant by the surgeon's relieving me of my pain?" "Yes, it was." "Then it will be before night. Is it quite certain, uncle?" "Mr Annanby thinks so. Your foot is too much hurt ever to be cured. Do you think you can bear it, Hugh?" "Why, yes, I suppose so. So many people have. It is less than some of the savages bear. What horrid things they do to their captives,--and even to some of their own boys! And they bear it." "Yes; but you are not a savage."