‘What—dead!—dead!—my Daniel dead? You cannot know what you are saying; you are delirious from your wounds.’
‘No, my dear father, I fear me he is dead. Take courage; you must be strong and help us to comfort mother; come.’
The old man seemed to make a strong effort, rose and helped to raise Ignatious.
‘You are right, my son. Your mother must be our first care; come.’
He begged Steve, with tears in his eyes, to go and find Daniel while he went home with Ignatious, who could scarcely stand.
‘I will send a cart or waggon at once to bring him home, if you will only wait there and do unto him as if he was your own dead brother.’
Steve and his four companions went, and what a sight met their eyes!
CHAPTER XXVI
’TIS THE WILL OF GOD
The hill on which they found themselves was the highest point of the rolling plain. On it were scattered masses of ironstone. Whether there was any kind of metal present in the soil of the hill, or whether it was because it was the highest spot in the neighbourhood, Steve could not determine, but he later on learned that this was a favourite spot for the lightning to strike down on.