Why, Leather, this looks as if he'd used the axe! Reg'lar clean cut." "No, it was with the fork handle.

There, it will do me good.

Let out some of the hot, mad blood." "Ay," said old Sam, guiding him, for he staggered, to the men's bothy, and bathing and tying up the wound.

"It's a pity, my lad.

I wish you hadn't hit back, for you see if he should turn nasty and complain--" Leather looked at him wildly.
"And him like that, there's no knowing what might come." The convict uttered a groan, and caught the old man's arm.
"I'll say all I know, my lad; but you see--" "Yes, yes," said Leather hoarsely, "I know"; and he sat there on a block of wood which served as a stool, while the old gardener finished the dressing.
"There, that's a spontanous bit o' grafting," he said, "and--'Ullo! what's that mean ?" He turned to the doorway, through which they could see Brookes mounted upon one of the horses and cantering straight away.
"Leather, my lad," said the old man sharply, "he's our fellow-servant, but he's a cur.