s not likely to bleed much. When it has
stopped bleeding put a pad of linen upon it, and keep it wet. When we
can spare time we will bandage it properly."

But it was not until late at night that the time could be spared for
attending to Vincent; for the surgeons were overwhelmed with work, and
the most serious cases were, as far as possible, first attended to. He
had soon recovered consciousness. At first he looked with a feeling of
bewilderment at Dan, who was copiously sprinkling his face with water,
sobbing loudly while he did so. As soon as the negro perceived that his
master had opened his eyes he gave a cry of delight.

"Thank de Lord, Marse Vincent! Dis child tought you dead and gone for
sure."

"What's the matter, Dan? What has happened?" Vincent said, trying to
move, and then stopping suddenly with a cry of pain.

"You knocked off your horse, sah, wid one of de shells of dem cussed
Yanks."

"Am I badly hurt, Dan?"

"Bery bad, sah; great piece of flesh pretty nigh as big as my hand come
out ob your side, and doctor says some ob de ribs broken. But de doctor
not seem to make much ob it; he hard sort ob man dat. Say you get all
right again. No time to tend to you now. Hurry away just as if you some
poor white trash instead of Massa Wingfield ob de Orangery."

Vincent smiled faintly.

"It doesn't make much difference what a man is in a surgeon's eyes, Dan.
The question is how badly he is hurt, and what can be done for him?
Well, thank God it's no worse. Wildfire was not hurt, I hope?"

"No, sah; he is standing tied up by dat tree. Now, sah, de doctor say me
cut your jacket off and bave de wound."

"All right, Dan; but be a little careful with the water, you seem to be
pretty near drowning me as it is. Just wipe my face and hair, and get
the handkerchief from the pocket of my jacket, and open the shirt collar
and put the handkerchief inside round my neck. Then see how the battle
is going on. The roar seems louder than ever."

Dan went forward to the crest of a slight rise of the ground whence he
could look down upon the field of battle, and made haste to return.

"Can't see bery well, sah; too much smoke. But dey in de same place
still."

"Look round, Dan, and see if there are any fresh troops coming up."

Dan again went to the rise of ground.

"Yes, sah; lot of men coming ober de hill behind."

"That's all right, Dan. Now you can see about this bathing my side."

As soon as the battle was over