I did
not know what else to do.'
The company laughed.
'We cannot,' said Madge, 'all of us come to terms after this fashion
with our consciences, but we have had enough of these discussions on
morality. Let us go out.'
They went out, and, as some relief from the straight road, they
turned into a field as they came home, and walked along a footpath
which crossed the broad, deep ditches by planks. They were within
about fifty yards of the last and broadest ditch, more a dyke than a
ditch, when Frank, turning round, saw an ox which they had not
noticed, galloping after them.
'Go on, go on,' he cried, 'make for the plank.'
He discerned in an instant that unless the course of the animal could
be checked it would overtake them before the bridge could be reached.
The women fled, but Frank remained. He was in the habit of carrying
a heavy walking-stick, the end of which he had hollowed out in his
schooldays and had filled up with lead. Just as the ox came upon
him, it laid its head to the ground, and Frank, springing aside,
dealt it a tremendous, two-handed blow on the forehead with his
knobbed weapon. The creature was dazed, it stopped and staggered,
and in another instant Frank was across the bridge in safety. There
was a little hysterical sobbing, but it was soon over.
'Oh, Mr Palmer,' said Mrs Hopgood, 'what presence of mind and what
courage! We should have been killed without you.
Pages:
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51