to send our enemies cantering back.

"Water for the horses at once," cried the Colonel as he entered the
court, where I was standing examining poor Sandho. "Ah, Moray!" he said
as he saw me; "not hurt, I hope?"

"Only battered and bruised, sir," I said. "Nothing serious."

"Humph! I'm glad of it, boy. You did splendidly. But I'm a fool, am
I?"

My words, uttered in the wild excitement of our adventure, had slipped
but of my memory; and as he brought them back to my mind so suddenly, I
stood staring at him as if thunder-struck.

"A nice way to address your commanding officer! Why, you insolent,
mutinous young dog! you ought to be court-martialled. What do you
mean!"

"Not that, sir," I said, recovering myself. "I was half-mad with pain
and excitement then, and I wanted to save your life."

"Yes, I know; I know," he said, changing his manner. "I forgive you,
for no one else heard; and now, thank you, my lad; thank you. If I
survive to write to my poor wife and girls again, I shall tell them when
they pray for me to put the name of some one else in their prayers--the
some one who saved my life. Thank you, my lad, and God bless you!"

I felt astonished and at the same time overcome by his words, and in my
confusion could not find words to reply, till, lowering my eyes, I found
exactly what I ought to say; for they fell upon the great patch of
blood-stain which had been spreading terribly upon his right leg, till
his knee was suffused, and ugly marks were visible right down his brown
leather boot.

In an instant my hand went up to my throat, and I loosened the silk
handkerchief knotted there.

"Your wound's bleeding dreadfully, sir; let me tie it up."

"No, no; not till I've seen to the men, my lad," he replied peevishly as
he turned away, only, however, to turn back.

"Yes," he said, with a smile; "thanks, lad. First aid, and--here!
Water, some one. Ugh! I feel sick as a dog."

I caught hold of him and saved him from falling by lowering him down
upon a stone, just as there was the soft _pad, pad_ of naked feet behind
me, and a familiar voice said:

"Water, Boss. Here water, sah!"

"Joeboy!" I whispered as I turned and caught a waterbottle from an
extended black hand. "You here!"

"Um? Yes, Boss Val. Couldn't run no more, and come away back."

I handed the water to the Colonel, who drank with avidity; then I
tightly bound up the cut on his leg, for he impatiently refused to have
it