258 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
papa mend you.” Then she burst into tears. 
«Oh, Iam so sorry and so frightened! Do you 
feel very bad, Jack? I know you are suffering 
dreadfully, Mr. Jarvis. Can’t I do something for 
you?” 
«My arm is bruised a bit,” said Jarvis; “if 
you don’t mind, you can steady it a little.” 
Jane’s soft hands clasped themselves tenderly 
over Jarvis’s great fist, and she felt relieved in 
the thought that she was doing something for 
her hero. She held the great right hand of Her- 
cules tenderly, and Jarvis never let her know 
that it was the left arm that had been broken. 
She felt certain that he must be suffering agony, 
for ever and anon his fingers would close over 
hers with a spasmodic grip that sent a thrill of 
mixed joy and pain to her heart. 
While I was bandaging the broken arm I saw 
the young lady going through some pantomimic 
exercises with her hands, as if seeking to revive 
the memory of some previous position; then her 
face blazed with a light, half pleasure and half 
shame, and she disappeared. 
When the carriage arrived at Four Oaks, the 
story was told in few words, and I immediately 
set to work to “mend” the boys. Jack insisted 
that Jarvis should receive the first attention, and, 
indeed, he looked the worse. But after washing 
the blood off his face, I found that beyond a 
severe bruise, which would disfigure him for a 
few days, his face and head were unhurt. His 
