knew you would say so. Then all I can
recommend is that we stay as we are for a few days, and try and
recruit."

"With bad water, and hardly any provisions," said the major. "Ah,
Bolter, this is a terribly bad business."

"Yes," said the doctor, holding out his hand, which was eagerly grasped,
"it is a terrible business. But you know what the foreigners say of us,
Sandars?"

"No: what do you mean?"

"That the English never know when they are beaten. We don't know when
we are beaten, and our lads are like us. God bless them, poor fellows,
for they are as patient as can be!"

"What do you advise, then?" said the major. "It is your duty to
advise."

"I did advise," said the doctor, laughing. "I proposed lopping off the
bad limb of our little party, so as to leave the rest free to hobble
on."

"And suppose I had consented to it," said the major; "made the sick and
wounded as comfortable as we could, and pushed on with the rest, what
would you do?"

"Do?" said Doctor Bolter; "I don't understand you."

"I mean, of course you would have to come with us; for the Malays would
butcher the poor fellows as soon as they came up."

"Come with you, major? Are you mad? Why, who would tend the poor boys,
and see to their bandages? No, my dear Sandars. Your place is with the
sound, mine is with the unsound. Go on with your lot--poor fellows--and
see if you can reach the river. You might perhaps send help in time to
save us. If you didn't, why, I should have made them comfortable to the
end, and done my duty."

"My dear doctor," said Major Sandars, holding out his hand.

"My dear major," said the doctor. "Good-bye, then; and God bless you!"

"What!" cried the major. "And did you think I was going?"

"Of course!"

"More shame for you, then, for thinking me such a cur. Leave you and
these poor fellows here in the midst of the jungle, to be murdered by
those cowardly pirates? Not I. Why, the men would mutiny if I proposed
such a thing. No; we'll wait a few hours, and then get on a few miles
and rest again, the best way we can."

"But you will only get the poor fellows killed if you stay," said the
doctor.

"Well, hadn't we all better be killed like men doing our duty, than go
off and live like cowards and curs?"

"Of course you had," said the doctor, speaking huskily. "But I felt
that it was my duty to leave you free."

"Doctor," said the major, laying his hand upon the other's shoulder,
"there