Through the Fray: A Tale of the Luddite Riots by G. A. Henty (novel books to read txt) 📕

It was not until after midday that the message arrived, and Dr. Green at once went in. Ned was sitting on the side of the bed, a constable having come off with the message as soon as he heard him make the first move.

“Well, Ned, how are you now?” Dr. Green asked cheerfully as he went to the window and drew back the curtains. “Had a good sleep, my boy, and feel all the better for it, I hope.”

“Yes, I think I have been asleep,” Ned said in a far more natural voice than that of the previous day. “How did the curtains get drawn?”

“I drew them, Ned. I looked in in the afternoon, and found you fast asleep, so I darkened the room.”

“Why, what time is it now?” Ned asked.

“Half past twelve, Ned.”

“Half past twelve! Why, how can that be?”

“Why, my boy, you have had twenty-two hours' sleep.”

Ned gave an exclamation of astonishment.

“You had two nights' arrears to make up for, and nature is not to be outraged in that way with impunity. I am very thankful that you had a good night, for I was really anxious about you yesterday.”

“I feel rather heavy and stupid now,” Ned said, “but I am all the better for my sleep.

“Let me think,” he began, looking round the room, for up till now remembrance of the past had not come back again, “what am I doing here? Oh! I remember now.”

“You are here, my boy, on a charge of which I have no doubt we shall prove you innocent. Of course Porson and I and all your friends know you are innocent, but we have got to prove it to the world, and we shall want all your wits to help us. But we needn't talk about that now. The first thing for you to do is to put your head in a basin of water. By the time you have had a good wash your breakfast will be here. I told my old cook to prepare it when I came out, and as you are a favorite of hers I have no doubt it will be a good one. After you have discussed that we can talk matters over. I sent my boy down to the school just now to ask Porson to come up here in half an hour. Then we three can lay our heads together and see what are the best steps to take.”

“Let me see,” Ned said thoughtfully. “Was I dreaming, or have I seen Mr. Porson since I came here?”

“You are not dreaming, Ned; but the fact is, you were not quite yourself yesterday. The excitement you had gone through had been too much for you.”

“It all seems a dream to me,” Ned said in a hopeless tone, “a confused, muddled sort of dream.”

“Don't think about it now, Ned,” the doctor said cheerfully, “but get off your things at once, and set to and sluice your head well with water. I will be back in a quarter of an hour with the breakfast.”

At the end of that time the doctor returned, his boy carrying a tray. The constable on duty took it from him, and would have carried it into Ned's room, but the doctor said:

“Give it me, Walker. I will take it in myself. I don't want him to see any of you just at present. His head's in a queer state, and the less he is impressed with the fact that he is in charge the better.”

Dr. Green found Ned looking all the better for his wash. The swelling of his face had now somewhat abated, but the bruises were showing out in darker colors than before; still he looked fresher and better.

“Here is your breakfast, Ned, and if you don't enjoy it Jane will be terribly disappointed.”

“I shall enjoy it, doctor. I feel very weak; but I do think I am hungry.”