Pray
come back and see if you can't help him, you are such a famous climber."
Fred could not refuse, and in less than five minutes he was on the spot,
but it was too late. The branch had given way, and the boy lay at the
foot of the tree senseless, to all appearance dead. There was no blood,
no outward sign of injury, but--his face! Fred did not forget for many
years afterwards, its dreadful, terrified, ghastly expression. What was
to be done? They were so horror-struck that for a few minutes they stood
in perfect silence, so powerfully were they convinced that the lad had
ceased to breathe, that they remained solemn and still as in the
presence of death.
To all minds death has great solemnities; to the young, when it strikes
one of their own age and number, especially. "Come," said Fred, turning
to Riches, "come, we must not leave him here to die, poor fellow. Take
off his neck-handkerchief, Harcourt, and run you, Riches, to the stream
close by, where we first sat down, and get some water. Get it in your
cap, man, you have nothing else to put it in.
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