o a fresh
subject. "I say, I must go and hunt out the Sergeant. That was a nasty
wound he got after you were hit."

My words had the right effect.

"The Sergeant?" he cried. "Oh, poor old chap! we can't spare him. Was
he hurt badly?"

"Oh no, he laughed it off, just as you did your injury; but I am afraid
he has lost one finger."

"Ah, my young hero!" cried a cheery voice, and I started round and
saluted, for it was the Colonel. "How's the wound--eh?"

"Oh, it isn't a wound, sir," said Denham rather impatiently. "Only a
bad bruise."

"Very nearly something worse.--Morning, my lad:" this to me, and I felt
the colour flush up into my cheeks. "You behaved uncommonly well last
night, and we're all very much indebted to you. Pretty good, this, for
a recruit. I heartily wish you had been with us two or three months,
and you should certainly have had your first stripes."

I mumbled out something about doing my best.

"You did," said the Colonel. "I'm sorry I spoke so hastily to you in my
error. I didn't know you two were friends."

"We are, sir," said Denham warmly.

"Oh, of course; I remember. You shot together some time ago."

"Yes, sir," said Denham, "and I had a grand time with Val Moray, here--
big game shooting."

"Not such big game shooting as you are going to have here," said the
Colonel. "I'm glad to see you so much better, Denham. Be careful, and
mind what the doctor says to you."

He hurried away, and as soon as he had passed out of sight the Sergeant,
with his arm in a sling, came up from where he had been waiting to ask
how his young officer fared, giving me a friendly nod at the same time.

"Oh, there's nothing the matter with me, Briggs," said Denham. "I shall
be all right now. Thank you heartily, though, for what you did for me."

"Did for you, sir?" said the Sergeant gruffly. "I did nothing, only
just in the way of duty."

"Oh, that was it--was it?" said Denham. "Then you did it uncommonly
well--didn't he, Moray?"

"Splendidly," I said, with a fair display of enthusiasm.

"Look here, you, sir," said the Sergeant very gruffly as he turned upon
me; "young recruits to the corps have got all their work cut out to
learn their duty, without criticising their superior officers. So just
you hold your tongue."

"That's a snub, Moray," said Denham; "but never mind.--Look here,
Sergeant, how's your wound?"

"Wound, sir?" he replied. "I haven't got any wound."

"Then why is