He said over and over again he didn't want to hurt us, and I am sure he didn't, only he thought he oughtn't to let us pass, and as we would go on he had to stop us." "Well, it can't be helped, Ned," his father said kindly.

"It is very natural that you should be grieved about it; but you see it really was an accident; there was nothing willful or intentional about it, and you must not take it to heart more than you can help." But Ned did take it to heart, and for the next fortnight was very miserable.

The doctor's reports during that time were not hopeful.

Fever had set in, and for some days the boy was delirious, and there was no saying how it would turn out.

At the end of that time the bulletins became somewhat more hopeful.