Fix Bay'nets Part 27

"Bad, Gee, bad. I'm afraid he is shot through the lungs."

Sergeant Gee's brow went into a ma.s.s of puckers and frowns, and there was the peculiar sound of one grinding his teeth together, as the man tramped on behind his officer for a few minutes before speaking again.

"Beg pardon, sir; there's that Bill Gedge. Is he much hurt?"

"Very gravely, I'm afraid. Dr Morton can't tell yet from the hasty examination he made, but he shook his head."

"Poor lad!" said the Sergeant. "We were always bad friends, sir; he was so full of his c.o.c.kney monkey-tricks, and he hated me, but we couldn't spare him. What a soldier he would have made!"

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Roberts; "as full of pluck as a lad could be. Mr Bracy's been telling me how he carried him through the fire, and sheltered him with his own body. That's how it was he had his wound."

There was another pause, with the silence only broken by the echoing tramp, tramp of the men.

"Won't die--will he, sir?" whispered Sergeant Gee.

"I pray Heaven no," said the Captain.

"That sounds bad, sir," said the Sergeant huskily. "I should like to shake hands with him afore he goes; and if he gets better I won't be so hard on him again."

"I suppose you have only done your duty by him."

"I hope so, sir."

"Double on to the ambulance, and see how he is. Corporal Green, take the Sergeant's place."

Roberts halted to let his men pa.s.s him, keenly watching every one in his company, and a man limping caught his eye.

"Here, Bracy, what's the matter?" he said.

"Oh, nothing much, sir. Spent shot glanced off the rock and hit me in the ankle."

"Give him your arm, Sergeant, and get him on one of the mules."

"Beg pardon, sir; I can walk back."

"You're making your leg worse at every step, sir," cried Roberts angrily. "Get on and ride."

The words were spoken sharply, the young Captain being in no very amiable mood, for he was cooling down after tremendous exertion and the reaction from the wild excitement of the fight. But he spoke in the man's interest and with the desire to save him from after-suffering.

Then the weary tramp went on almost in silence, but no one flagged, and at the end of a couple of hours they obtained a glimpse of the flag at the top of the staff. The silence in the column was broken by a hearty cheer, the men's spirits rising again after what had been a depressing march back; and when the gates were reached they were cheered by the men on the walls, and the hills around softly echoed back the replies to the hearty welcome they had received.

The Colonel, with the officers left behind, stood at the gate waiting, and the answer to his inquiry regarding the enemy brought forth a fresh cheer.

"Splendidly done!" said the Colonel; and then sharply, "What casualties?"

"Mr Bracy severely wounded. Privates Down and Gedge had bullet-wounds.

Other hurts slight."

The Doctor hurried away to his operating-room, and his a.s.sistants went to the door to help in the three patients, who were attended to in turn.

The first man who had fallen had to have a bullet extracted from his leg, half-way to the hip, where it was deeply embedded in the muscle.

"Now, my dear Bracy," said the Doctor, "let's look at you."

"No, I can wait," was the reply. "My bandages is quite firm, and the bleeding has ceased."

The Doctor frowned, and was about to say something regarding interference; but he checked himself, glanced at the bandage, and nodded.

"Very well," he said; "the other man."

Poor Gedge was very white and remarkably quiet, but his eyes were full of motion; and he watched the Doctor's face and every action of his hands.

"Why, Gedge, my lad," said the Doctor cheerily after a certain amount of busy manipulation, "this isn't fair. I didn't want to have you in hospital again."

"Same to you, sir," said the sufferer, with a ghastly attempt at a smile, as he screwed his head round to look at the Doctor.

"Hold still, sir. Look the other way."

"Yes, sir," said Gedge faintly. "'Tain't my head this time, sir."

"No, my lad; it's not your head this time."

"Sorry it's my back, sir; but I warn't a-running away."

"Bah! of course you were not; our lads don't know how."

"No, sir; course not, sir."

"Got it carrying Mr Bracy out of the fire--eh?"

"Well, yes, sir, I s'pose so, sir. Shall I--shall I--"

The poor fellow stopped short.

"Shall you what?" said the Doctor kindly; "try to move?"

"No, sir," said the poor fellow feebly; "I didn't mean that. It was, shall I be a goner?"

"Oh, nonsense--nonsense! Humph! poor fellow! he has fainted."

"Is his wound serious, Doctor?" said Bracy huskily.

"Never you mind. You lie still and wait. Well, there. Yes, the hurt is a very bad one. I don't think he'll die; but the bullet is in a dangerous place, and I dare not try to extract it to-day."

A short time after poor Gedge was lying in a state of stupor upon the bed he had previously occupied, and the Doctor was examining the young officer's wounds.

"Very bad, Doctor?" asked Bracy.

"Bad enough, sir. I don't like this exit so close to the vertebrae.-- That hurt?"