commanded Dick, as the Dutchman, forgetful of his request,
lowered the lamp. "That is right. Keep it there, please, till I have
ripped the coat open. Ah, here is another wound in the head. That will
account for his being insensible."

Together, the Dutchman's tendency to undue excitement arrested by the
coolness displayed by his young companion, they cut the shoulder of the
coat away and inspected the wound. Then they went in search of bandages
and dressings, for the thoughtful Mr Pepson had included a cabinet of
drugs and instruments in the outfit of the expedition. Neither of the
two friends who looked to the wounds had had previous experience, but
common sense helped them, while the lamp allowed them to read the
clearly printed directions contained in the cabinet. They bathed the
wounds in the shoulder and the scalp, and applied the dressings. Then
they put the arm in a sling, and placed it across the wounded man's
chest.

"He is coming to," said Dick, after a while. "We will give him a few
drops of water. Hold his head so, Meinheer. Now I will pour a little
between his lips."

An hour later their friend was conscious again, and was sitting up with
his back leaning against the gunwale.

"I feel dizzy and my head aches dreadfully," he said, with a plucky
smile. "Look in the cabinet, Dick, and you will find something there
which will quiet me. Then perhaps I shall get to sleep and be myself
to-morrow. Never fear, my friends. The wounds are not so serious, for
the gash in my shoulder is merely a flesh wound, and the bone is quite
uninjured. As to the scalp wound, I am a fortunate man. I think that
the bullet must have glanced from a bough, for I heard a sound just
before I was struck. Then it hit my shoulder, and as it flew on just
touched my head, glancing from the bone, and hitting me hard enough to
stun me. By the way, I was standing in the water. I suppose Dick
pulled me out again? That is another debt I owe him."

"You ought to keep quiet," was our hero's answer, as he arrived with a
bottle and a glass in his hand. "Here we are, sir. A teaspoonful in a
little water, and then silence. There, drink it up, and sleep. We will
look to the safety of the boats."

He held the glass to Mr Pepson's lips and watched as he feebly drained
it, for there was little doubt that the leader was sadly injured, and
only his pluck had allowed him to chatter at all. However, he
obediently drank the mixtur