There is a grand air from the hills, she said, which will be just the thing for the children. Theres good fishing in the stream for yourself, captain, and you cant get a quieter and cheaper place in all England. I ought to know, for I was born upon the moorland but six miles away from it, and should have been there now if I hadnt followed my man to the wars.
Where are you going, Master Ned? she asked as the boy, having finished his dinner, ran to the high cupboard at the end of the passage near the kitchen to get his fishing rod.
I am going out fishing, Abijah.
Not by yourself, I hope?
No; another fellow is going with me. We are going up into the hills.
Dont ye go too far, Master Ned. They say the croppers are drilling on the moors, and it were bad for ye if you fell in with them.
They wouldnt hurt me if I did.
I dont suppose they would, the nurse said, but there is never no saying. Poor fellows! theyre druv well nigh out of their senses with the bad times. What with the machines, and the low price of labor, and the high price of bread, they are having a terrible time of it. And no wonder that we hear of frame breaking in Nottingham, and Lancashire, and other places. How men can be wicked enough to make machines, to take the bread out of poor mens mouths, beats me altogether.
Father says the machinery will do good in the long run, Abijahthat it will largely increase trade, and so give employment to a great many more people than at present. But it certainly is hard on those who have learned to work in one way to see their living taken away from them.
Hard! the nurse said. I should say it were hard. I know the croppers, for there were a score of them in my village, and a rough, wild lot they were. They worked hard and they drank hard, and the girl as chose a cropper for a husband was reckoned to have made a bad match of it; but they are determined fellows, and you will see they wont have the bread taken out of their mouths without making a fight for it.
That may be, Ned said, for every one gives them the name of a rough lot; but I must talk to you about it another time, Abijah, I have got to be off; and having now found his fishing rod, his box of bait, his paper of books, and a basket to bring home the fish he intended to get, Ned ran off at full speed toward the school.
As Abijah Wolf had said, the croppers of the West Riding were a rough set. Their occupation consisted in shearing or cropping the wool on the face of cloths. They used a large pair of shears, which were so set that one blade went under the cloth while the other worked on its upper face, mowing the fibers and ends of the wool to a smooth, even surface. The work was hard and required considerable skill, and the men earned about twenty-four shillings a week, a sum which, with bread and all other necessities of life at famine prices, barely sufficed for the support of their families. The introduction of power looms threatened to abolish their calling. It was true that although these machines wove the cloth more evenly and smoothly than the hand looms, croppers were still required to give the necessary smoothness of face; still the tendency had been to lower wages.
The weavers were affected even more than the croppers, for strength and skill were not so needed to tend the power looms as to work the hand looms. Women and boys could do the work previously performed by men, and the tendency of wages was everywhere to fall.
For years a deep spirit of discontent had been seething among the operatives in the cotton and woolen manufactures, and there had been riots more or less serious in Derbyshire, Nottingham, Lancashire and Yorkshire, which in those days were the headquarters of these trades. Factories had been burned, employers threatened and attacked, and the obnoxious machines smashed. It was the vain struggle of the ignorant and badly paid people to keep down production and to keep up wages, to maintain manual labor against the power of the steam engine.
Hitherto factories had been rare, men working the frames in their own homes, and utilizing the labor of their wives and families, and the necessity of going miles away to work in the mills, where the looms were driven by steam, added much to the discontent.
Having found his fishing appliances Ned hurried off to the school, where his chum Tompkins was already waiting him, and the two set out at once on their expedition.
They had four miles to walk to reach the spot where they intended to fish. It was a quiet little stream with deep pools and many shadows, and had its source in the heart of the moorlands. Neither of them had ever tried it before, but they had heard it spoken of as one of the best streams for fish in that part. On reaching its banks the rods were put together, the hooks were baited with worms, and a deep pool being chosen they set to work. After fishing for some time without success they tried a pool higher up, and so mounted higher and higher up the stream, but ever with the same want of success.
How could they have said that this was a good place for fish? Tompkins said angrily at last. Why, by this time it would have been hard luck if we had not caught a dozen between us where we usually fish close to the town, and after our long walk we have not had even a bite.
I fancy, Tompkins, Ned said, that we are a couple of fools. I know it is trout that they catch in this stream, and of course, now I think of it, trout are caught in clear water with a fly, not with a worm. Father said the other day he would take me out some Saturday and give me a lesson in fly fishing. How he will laugh when I tell him we have wasted all our afternoon in trying to catch trout with worms!
I dont see anything to laugh at, Tompkins grumbled. Here we waste a whole half holiday, and nothing to show for it, and have got six or seven miles at least to tramp back to school.
Well, we have had a nice walk, Ned said, even if we are caught in the rain. However, we may as well put up our rods and start. I vote we try to make a straight cut home; it must be ever so much shorter to go in a straight line than to follow all the windings of this stream.
They had long since left the low lands, where trees and bushes bordered the stream, and were in a lonely valley where the hills came down close to the little stream, which sparkled among the boulders at their feet. The slopes were covered with a crop of short wiry grass through which the gray stone projected here and there. Tiny rills of water made their way down the hillside to swell the stream, and the tinge of brown which showed up wherever these found a level sufficient to form a pool told that they had their source in the bogs on the moorland above. Tompkins looked round him rather disconcertedly.
I dont know, he said. Its a beastly long way to walk round; but suppose we got lost in trying to make our way across the hills.
Well, just as you like, Ned said, I am game to walk back the way we came or to try and make a straight cut, only mind dont you turn round and blame me afterward. You take your choice; whichever you vote for I am ready to do.
My shoes are beginning to rub my heels, Tompkins said, so I will take the shortest way and risk it. I dont see we can go far out of our way.
I dont see that we can, Ned replied. Marsden lies to the east, so we have only to keep our backs to the sun; it wont be down for another two hours yet, and before that we ought to be in.
By this time they had taken their rods to pieces, wound up their lines, and were ready to start. A few minutes sharp climbing took them to the top of the slope. They were now upon the moor, which stretched away with slight undulations as far as they could see.
My shoes are beginning to rub my heels, Tompkins said, so I will take the shortest way and risk it. I dont see we can go far out of our way.
I dont see that we can, Ned replied. Marsden lies to the east, so we have only to keep our backs to the sun; it wont be down for another two hours yet, and before that we ought to be in.
By this time they had taken their rods to pieces, wound up their lines, and were ready to start. A few minutes sharp climbing took them to the top of the slope. They were now upon the moor, which stretched away with slight undulations as far as they could see.
Now, Ned said, we will make for that clump of rocks. They seem to be just in the line we ought to take, and by fixing our eyes upon them we shall go straight.
This, however, was not as easy to do as Ned had fancied; the ground was in many places so soft and boggy that they were forced to make considerable detours. Nevertheless the rocks served as a beacon, and enabled them to keep the right direction; but although they made their way at the best of their speed it was an hour after starting before they approached the rock.
When they were within fifty yards of it a figure suddenly rose. It was that of a boy some fifteen years of age.
Goa back, he shouted; dang yer, what beest a cooming here vor?
The two boys stopped astonished.
We are going to Marsden, Ned replied; but whats that to you?
Doant ee moind wot it be to oi, the boy said; oi tell ee ee cant goa no further; yoive got ter go back.
We shant go back, Ned said; we have got as much right to go this way as you have. This is not your land; and if it is, we aint hurting it.
By this time they were at the foot of the pile of rocks, and the lad was standing some ten feet above them.
Oi tell ee, he repeated doggedly, yoive got vor to go back.
The boy was so much bigger and stronger than either Ned or his companion that the former, although indignant at this interference, did not deem it prudent to attempt to climb the crag, so he said to Tompkins: Of course we aint going back, but we had better take a turn so as to get out of the way of this fellow.
So saying they turned to the right and prepared to scout round the rock and continue their way; but this did not suit their obstructor.
If ee doant go back at oncet oill knock the heads off thee shoulders.
We cant go back, Tompkins said desperately, we are both as tired as we can be, and my heel is so sore that I can hardly walk. We shouldnt get to Marsden tonight if we were to turn back.
Thats nowt to oi, the boy said. Oi baint a-going to let ee pass here.
What are we to do, Ned? Tompkins groaned.
Do! Ned replied indignantly. Why, go on, of course. Marsden cannot be more than three miles off, and I aint going to walk twelve miles round to please this obstinate brute.
But he is ever so much bigger than we are, Tompkins said doubtfully.
Well, there are two of us, Ned said, and two to one is fair enough when he is as big as the two of us together.
We are going on, he said to the boy, and if you interfere with us it will be the worse for you.
The boy descended leisurely from his position on the rocks.
Oi dont want to hurt ee, but oive got to do as oi were bid, and if ee doant go back oive got to make ee. There be summat a-going on thar, and he jerked his head behind him, as it wouldnt be good vor ee to see, and ye baint a-going vor to see it.
But Ned and Tompkins were desperate now, and dropping their rods made a rush together against him.
CHAPTER II: THE FIGHT ON THE MOOR
The lad threw himself into a position of defense as the two boys rushed at him.
Oi doant want vor to hurt ee, he said again, but if ee will have it, why, it wont be moi vault; and swinging his arm round, he brought it down with such force upon the nose of Tompkins that the latter was knocked down like a ninepin, and, once down, evinced no intention of continuing the conflict.
In Ned, however, the lad found an opponent of a different stamp. The latter saw at once that his opponents far greater weight and strength rendered it hopeless for him to trust to close fighting, and he worked round and round him, every now and then rushing at him and delivering a telling blow, and getting off again before his heavy and comparatively unwieldy companion could reply.
Once or twice, indeed, the lad managed to strike him as he came in, each time knocking him fairly off his feet; but in the fair spirit which at that time animated English men and boys of all classes he allowed Ned each time to regain his feet without interference.
Thou beest a plucky one, he said, as Ned after his third fall again faced him, but thou baint strong enough for oi.
Ned made no reply, but nerved himself for a fresh effort. The blows he had received had been heavy, and the blood was streaming from his face; but he had no idea of giving in, although Tompkins, in spite of his calls and reproaches, refused to raise himself beyond a sitting position.
Its no good, Ned, he replied, the brute is too big for us, and Id rather try to walk home all the way round than get another like the last. My nose feels as big as my head.
Ned hardly heard what his companion said. He would have been killed rather than yield now, and gathering all his strength he sprang at his opponent like a tiger. Avoiding the blow which the boy aimed at him, he leaped upon him, and flung his arms round his neck. The sudden shock overthrew him, and with a crash both boys came to the ground together.
Ned at once loosened his hold, and springing to his feet again, awaited the rising of his opponent. The latter made a movement to get up, and then fell back with a cry.
Thou hast beaten me, he said. Oi think moi leg be broke.
Ned saw now that as the lad had fallen his leg had been twisted under him, and that he was unable to extricate it. In a moment he was kneeling before the prostrate lad.
Oh! I am sorry, he exclaimed; but you know I didnt mean to do it. Here, Tompkins, dont sit there like a fool, but come and help me move him and get his leg straight.
Although the boys did this as gently as they could, a groan showed how great was the agony.
Where is it? Ned asked.
Aboove the knee somewhere, the lad said, and Ned put his hand gently to the spot, and to his horror could feel something like the end of a bone.
Oh! dear, what is to be done? Here, Tompkins, either you or I must go on to the town for help.
Its getting dark already, Tompkins said; the sun has set some time. How on earth is one to find the way?
Well, if you like I will go, Ned said, and you stop here with him.
The lad, who had been lying with closed eyes and a face of ghastly pallor, now looked up.
There be soom men not a quarter of a mile away; they be a-drilling, they be, and oi was sot here to stop any one from cooming upon em; but if so bee as thou wilt go and tell em oi has got hurt, oi dont suppose as they will meddle with ye.
Ned saw now why the lad had opposed his going any further. Some of the croppers were drilling on the moor, and the boy had been placed as sentry. It wasnt a pleasant business to go up to men so engaged, especially with the news that he had seriously injured the boy they had placed on watch. But Ned did not hesitate a moment.
You stop here, Tompkins, with him, he said quietly, I will go and fetch help. It is a risk, of course, but we cant let him lie here.