‘He’s dead!’ Terry cried, starting to run. At her approach the man stirred; he clutched the ground with his hands to drag himself on. When he could not, and his limbs refused to obey, he trembled and hideous whimpering noises came from him.

Terry stooped over him whispering, ‘Hush! don’t be afraid!’

She laid her hand on his shoulder while she spoke. At her touch he shuddered violently. He uttered such a scream of terror as will never be out of my ears. I hear it now, the voice of incarnate fear to death. What terror had ever we? My heart stood still, my flesh crept. But Terry spoke on, telling him to be at peace. He commenced to sob and rack his throat with coughing mingled with sobs.

‘We must lift him,’ she said, looking up at me. ‘He must be sore hurt.’

When I essayed to move him he screamed again with pain. I raised him in my arms. He had no more weight than a feather. His bare flesh showed through his tattered rags. His face was like a skull, his lips were blue. His blazing eyes closed gently.

‘He’s dead,’ I muttered.

Terry thrust her hand into his breast, through his dirty torn shirt.

‘His heart is beating still,’ she said. ‘What are we going to do with him, Hugh?’

‘What can we do?’ I asked desperately. ‘He’s past any help we can give, Terry.’

‘Is it so bad?’ she whispered. ‘What ails him, Hugh?’

‘Hunger cold and fear,’ I answered grimly.

‘We can’t leave him here,’ she said steadily.

‘We can’t leave him here,’ I echoed. ‘But what can we do, where can we take him?’

‘Home,’ she said.

I looked at her aghast.

‘You saw the fires!’ I exclaimed.

‘Too well.’

‘How can we go home?’

‘How can we leave this human mortal creature to die? Oh, Hugh, we’d risk our bones to save a dog from agony. What’s a little fear, a little danger, compared with his need?’

‘Then we’ll go home,’ I said. ‘Are you ready? Can you carry both the rifles?’

He opened his eyes to watch us. We bent over him.

‘We’re taking you where you’ll have fire, and food, and be safe,’ Terry assured him. He looked wildly at her.

‘Let me go!’ he implored. ‘Let me go!’ He commenced to cry silently. Tears rolled down his grey cheeks from wide panic eyes.

‘You must come with us until you are well,’ Terry said. ‘You can’t lie here—you’ve hurt your leg—’

‘Who are you?’ he interrupted.

‘Friends,’ she said.

‘Friends!’ He laughed in our faces. ‘There’s no word friends any more.’

He closed his eyes and his head fell to one side.

‘We must carry him,’ I said; ‘he’s not fit to walk, even with us helping him.’