"But Abner promised me he'd stay right here," said Toby.
"Well, some other fellows came along, an' he promised to go with them, I s'pose."
"But I don't believe Abner would; he'd keep his promise after he made it."
While they were talking they had gone out of the tent, and Ben started at once toward the crowd around the wagon, for he knew there was no reason why so many men should be there when they had work to do elsewhere.
"Did you go over there to see what was up?" asked the old driver.
"No; I thought they were getting ready to start, an' I could see Abner wasn't there."
"Something's the matter," muttered the old man, as he quickened his pace, and Toby, alarmed by the look on his friend's face, hurried on, hardly daring to breathe.
One look into the wagon around which the men were gathered was sufficient to show why it was that Abner had not remained by the tent as he had promised, for he lay in the bottom of the cart, to all appearances dead, while two of the party were examining him to learn the extent of his injuries.
"'WHAT IS THE MATTER? HOW DID THIS BOY GET HURT?' ASKED BEN."