. But he don't look a bad cove, wot you
can see under 'is farncy 'ead-dress.'

'I dinna think he can be o' the airmy. His skin's as pale as a lassie in
love.'

'In the army, Jock? Don't hinsult 'im. 'E's one of the 'eroes of the
'ome front--hindispensibles, they calls 'em.'

'Weel, weel, noo,' expostulated the Scot, 'dinna tak' ower muckle for
granted. We canna a' gang tae the war, or wha wud bide at hame an' mak
the whusky?'

'By Gar!' said a third patient opposite, sitting up suddenly and speaking
in the disjointed but strangely musical dialect of the French-Canadian,
'she is a wise feller, dis Scoachie.'

'Bonn swoir, Frenchy,' said the Cockney graciously. ''Ow alley you
mantenongs?'

'Verra good, Tommee. How is de godam bow bells?'

'Well, the last toime I sees me old side-kick the Lord Mayor, 'e says as
'ow they was took by a Canadian for a soovenir.'

'Na,' said the Scotsman reprovingly; 'I'm thinkin' yon's exaggerated.'

'By Gar!' said the French-Canadian. 'See, the orderly come now with
water for shav'. Back in de bush or on de long portage I shav' once,
twice, perhaps tree time a month. Always before I meet my leetle girl I
shav'. But when I say good-bye and go to war--by gollies! de army make
me for do it every day. My officier, he say, "What for you no shav' dis
morning?" "Sair," I say, "I no kees de Boche--I keel him." He say
noding to dat excep', "Look at you. I shav' every day. Do you preten' I
doan' fight?" "Well," I say, "if de cap feets you, smoke it." And for
no reason he give me tree time extra for carry de godam ration.'

At this stage the arrival of wash-basins interrupted further anecdote and
philosophy, and the entire ward became animated with soldiers performing
their ablutions, some sitting up in bed, others on the edge of their
beds, and a few so weak that they could just turn painfully on their side
and wait for other hands to help.

A burst of hearty greetings told Selwyn that some one must have entered
the ward, and a few minutes later he felt the presence of a nurse beside
him.

'Good-morning,' she said, gently touching him on the shoulder. 'How is
your head feeling?'

He opened his eyes and looked into the face bending over his. 'I think
it's all right,' he said weakly. 'But, nurse, won't you tell me how I
got here?'

She dipped a cloth into a basin and bathed his hands and face.

'You were hit by a piece of shrapnel in last night's air-raid. I wasn