bother him any more just now," Saxham interposed,
noting the droop of the piteous, flaccid mouth, and feeling the flutter of
the uneven pulse. The Mayor's wife broke into helpless sobbing. The
Mother-Superior drew her swiftly out of the sick child's hearing and
sight. And a shadow fell upon the thin light coverlet, and a crisp,
decided voice said:

"Then Hammy's tummy is a mutinous soldier, and must be taught to obey the
Word of Command."

"Mister Colonel ..." The dull, childish eyes grew a very little brighter,
and the claw-like hand went up in shaky salute to the limp plume of fair
hair, not glistening and silky now, but dull and unkempt, that fell over
the broad, darkly-veined waxen forehead.--"It is Mister Colonel.... And I
haven't seen you for ever an' ever so long. An' Berta's deaded, an',
an'----" The whisper was almost inaudible.... "Vere's something I did so
want to tell!" The hidden arm came from under the coverings "It's about
my Winocewus, vis beast what you gived me, ever so long ago." He displayed
the treasured toy.

"You shall tell me about Berta and the rhinoceros when I have told you
something. A Certain Person can come out of this vehicle, I suppose,
Saxham? It will make no difference, in the long-run, to a Certain Person's
health?"

"Why, nothing in Heaven or upon earth will make any difference at this
juncture," returned Saxham, speaking in the same tone, "unless a Certain
Person can be roused to the necessary pitch of desiring food. To
administer it forcibly would, in my opinion, be worse than useless."

The Certain Person was lifted out of his cramped quarters by vigorous but
gentle hands. The Colonel Commanding sat down with him upon a camp-stool,
and as the wasted legs dangled irresponsibly from his supporting knees,
and the hot head rolled helplessly against the row of coloured bits of
medal-ribbon that were sewn on the left breast of the khaki jacket, he
began to talk, holding the limp little body with a kind, sustaining arm.

"You've seen how my men obey me, Hammy? Well, your brain and your eyes,
your arms and legs, and hands and feet, as well as your tummy, are your
soldiers. And it's mutiny if they refuse to carry out the Officer's
orders. And you're the Officer, you know."

"Am I ve Officer, weally?"

Interest was quickening in the heavy eyes.

"You're the Officer. And I'm the Colonel in Command. And when I say to
you, 'Lieutenant Hammy, drink this milk,' why, you'll pass along t