rucial task. Fortunately
the fractures were simple, and he had no very great difficulty in
bringing the broken bones into their proper positions, after which he
bandaged and applied the splints, making all fast, a low moan from time
to time being all that escaped from the sufferer.

At last. The final bandage was secured, and a horrible weight was
removed from Syd's breast, for he knew that he had set the bones rightly
even if his surgery was rough, and so far his patient had not sunk under
the operation.

"Shall we carry him up yonder now, sir?" said the boatswain, touching
his forelock.

"Move him? no," cried Syd. "Rig up something over his head. He must
not be touched." Then, turning to Dallas, he went down on one knee and
took his hand. "Are you in much pain?" he said.

The poor fellow was conscious, and he looked full in the speaker's eyes;
his lips moved, but no sound came, and the horrible feeling of sickness
which had first troubled Syd came back, increasing so fast that the lad
rose quickly and staggered a few yards.

"Give me something--water--quick!" he muttered; and all was blank.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.

When Syd opened his eyes he was lying down, with Roylance kneeling by
his side, and a curious feeling of wonderment came over him as to what
all this meant.

"What's the matter?" he said, sharply.

"You fainted. Are you better now?"

"Some people do faint at the sight of a drop of blood," said a familiar
voice, followed by a sneering laugh.

It was medicine to Syd, and he felt better directly, and sat up.

"Give me my jacket and things," he said; and paying no heed to Terry,
who was standing close by the two men who had been placed over him,
busily helping with the rough tent they were fitting over the
lieutenant, he walked to his patient, to find him lying so passive that
he shuddered, and wondered whether the poor fellow was dead.

"Did I do wrong?" Syd asked himself. "Would he have got better if I
had left him alone?"

He felt his ignorance terribly as he asked himself these questions; but
the answer was ready for utterance as Roylance said, looking white as he
spoke--

"Oh, Belt, old fellow, what a horrible job to have to do!" And then,
"Would he have got right without?"

"No. If he had gone on bleeding from that artery he would by now have
been a dead man."

"But how did you learn all that? The lads can do nothing else but talk
about it."

"Hush! come away," said S