ever,
which Jeb would have given his world for, and that was courage. If ever
man bore the mark of courage, 'twas Tim Doreen! Perhaps the widest
breach between them might have been thus summed up: Jeb was well aware
that Jeb was handsome; Tim had never given a thought to the fact that
Tim was in the highest sense courageous.

The duties of a sergeant are not all hammocks and cigarettes. He
occupies an anomalous position of go-between for his captain and the
men; he must swear here, praise there, appear to be hurt at other times.
He must never miss anything, from a grumble beneath the breath to a
blistered heel or a bad tooth. He must lay alongside the men, in a
figurative sense, and get to know their souls; and get them to love him
or to hate him--but never to think of him with indifference. If his
captain is wise, he will listen to him patiently and follow his advice;
for a good sergeant maketh a happy company, just as truly as a good
housewife maketh a contented home.

There were few duties aboard ship. The Canadians were already veterans,
and their new captain who was taking them back allowed more loafing than
usual. He believed in a generous breathing space before the sterner
days to come--providing they kept themselves fit! Neither did Barrow
care much how his unit employed its time, if all hands attended his
lectures and first aid demonstrations; and so it came about that Tim and
Jeb sat many hours together. It also followed that Tim saw in his new
friend elements which puzzled him, for now, the sixth day out, he
turned, saying quietly:

"Lad, ye've been talkin' a lot about this Medical Corps job av yours,
an' the risk ye're takin'; an' whin ye're not talkin', ye're wonderin'
how soon we'll be blowed up be a submarine! W'ot ails ye now? W'ot's
bitin' ye?"

The irresistible caress of the Celtic tongue was in Tim's question, and
Jeb, hesitating but a moment, impulsively leaned toward him.

"Tim," he said, "I don't want you to think less of me, but the idea of
being sunk out here in mid ocean, or being shot up in a battle, scares
me stiff. I guess I'm a--a----"

"Don't say it," the other checked him. "Don't be callin' yeself w'ot
ye'd be knockin' the head off anither mon for sayin! I've suspected ye
had a strong leanin' thot way, Jeb, but hadn't thought no less av ye,
as I've seen manny a lad change from bad to good in the jumpin' av a
cartridge clip."

"But the worst of it is, Tim, that I came away to escap