Paul the Courageous

e pump in the yard, and the chickens, to the horses and wagons, the lofts with their smell of hay, the sweet-smelling wood-ricks, the cool dairy, the 'pound' where the cider was

eans, Mrs. Anketell had determined to do without a nurse, and she was necessarily oblig

ggridge had said. Muggridge was the boy who had driven the cart, and Paul had begun to have a galling feeling that Muggridge had bean treating him as though he were a baby, which

. Stella and Michael sauntered out into the yard, and hung on the gate, swinging. Paul strolled out presently and joi

aid presently; "there is nothing to do

them, but there were no windows at that end of the house, and everyone was busy. When they had gone a little distance they got off the road on to the soft turf at the side, and began run

yes, and seized Michael's hands. "What d

said Paul, "I

erly, and with a sigh of relief, letting Mi

don't believe him, and I'm going to find out for myself. Perhaps he thinks I will swal

t to go there?" ask

He just said that I had better not; but that was nothing. I'm sure he was only trying to gull me. He s

Stella, anxiously. "Don't go, Paul!

such babies you are afraid of your lives to do

ld be frightened though if you got into o

ht away at once to look for one, and that'll show if I am afraid or n

on him. So she remained where he had left her, tightly grasping Mike's hand as though to make sure that he at any rate came to no harm. For nearly half-an-hour

er as though he had stepped on something which had given way beneath his feet, try to recover himself, and stagger again. Stella jumped up instinctively and ran to him; even then she did not dream of the real danger he

no time to be lost. What could she do, without a single creature there to help her? "Mike," she called, "run home as fast as ever you can, and tell them to

e to pull him out by it. She threw it towards him, but, in her anxiety, threw it to one side; she tried again, but the breeze carried it away. The third time it reached him, and he caught it by the tips of his fingers, but the effort to reach it dragged him forward, and swaying, staggering, in his endeavours to stead

can't, Paul," she said in laboured tones; "the more I try the worse it is. I think we had better keep as still as we can. Poor mummie," she added presently, and at the th