at unless they are too closely
beleaguered the little garrison at the station will make a sally to meet
us, and help to clear the way."

"What a jolly old humbug Graham is!" whispered Roberts. "It's all to
belittle our lads. He knew that as well as the Colonel."

"I suppose so," replied Bracy. "Ah, here's the Doctor."

For that gentleman came bustling up, smiling and nodding to all in turn.

"Morning, Doctor," said the Colonel. "What do you think of your
patients this morning?"

"My patients? Seen them?"

"Yes," said the Colonel quietly. "Bracy and I had a look at them as
soon as it was light."

"Getting on splendidly," said the Doctor, rubbing his hands. "Narrow
escape for that boy whose cheek is scratched; an inch or two more to the
left, and--"

"Ah! Bah! The old story, Doctor," said the Major contemptuously.

"Yes, sir," replied the Doctor tartly, as he fixed his eyes on the
portly, middle-aged officer on the opposite side of the cloth. "You
didn't take those pills, then?"

"How do you know?"

"By the way you talk," said the Doctor, chuckling, and screwing up one
eye and glancing round at the rest.

"No, sir, I did not take the rubbish," said the Major angrily, as he saw
every one smiling. "Was it likely that I should take them at a time
like this?"

"No, I suppose not," said the Doctor coolly; "but I should. But, as I
was going to say, Colonel, it's wonderful what a deal the human skull
can bear. Now, for instance, that boy Gedge: a great stone comes down
many hundred feet, increasing in velocity with the earth's attraction,
strikes him on the head, and down he goes, insensible, with his skull
crushed in, you would expect; but no: it is the old story of the
strength of the arch and the difficulty in cracking an egg-shell from
outside, though the beak of a tiny chicken can do it from within."

"Then there's no fracture?" said Bracy eagerly.

"Not so much as a faint crack, sir. Fellow was too thick-headed."

The Colonel sprang to his feet the next minute, for one of the officers
appeared to announce the appearance of three several bodies of men
descending from the distant heights.

"How near?" asked the Colonel.

"The nearest about a mile and a half, sir."

"Another live minutes for you to finish your breakfast, gentlemen, and
then we march."

The bugles were sounding directly after, and in less time than their
leader had given out, the officers were with their companies, the n