They stood and looked at it with pitying eyes; but not one of them knew how to release it. Faith began to sob as if her heart would break. She never could bear to see the smallest creature in pain, and had often cried over a dead mouse in London.
"Let's call somebody," she cried, "he'll be dead, he's bleeding. Oh call somebody quick!"
"But there's nobody to come in the country, Mrs. Cox says so!" said Charity.
Hope and Faith raised their voices.
"Help! Help! Murder!" they cried, for Mrs. Cox had often told them how cries like that brought the policeman to help.
And then Charity joined them, and suddenly they heard a crackling of branches, and an old man appeared. He had a grey beard and a big shady felt hat over his eyes. A great knotted stick was in his hand, and he had leather gaiters up to his knees.
"Hullo! Hullo! What's doin' here?" he said, in a gruff voice.
Faith seized hold of his hands, and her tears dropped fast.
"It's a poor darling dog got caught in an iron thing. Come and get him out quick! Oh, it's cruel, cruel!"
The old man quickened his pace.