.

"This way, lads. I'm sure it was hereabouts that I saw the flash."

"Macleod!" gasped Miles, as the big Scotsman was about to pass.

"Losh me! John Miles, is that you? Are ye leevin?"

"Scarcely!" was all that the poor youth could utter ere he became again
insensible.

A fatigue party tramped up with a stretcher at the moment. Macleod with
a handkerchief checked the ebbing tide of life, and they bore away from
the bloody field what seemed little more than the mortal remains of poor
Miles Milton.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

DESCRIBES A FEW MEETINGS AND SEVERAL SURPRISES.

The fight described in the last chapter was only one of the numerous
skirmishes that were taking place almost daily near Suakim at that time.
But it turned out to be a serious occasion to our hero, for it cost him
one of his hands, and put an end to his soldiering days for ever.

On being taken to the British lines the surgeons saw at once that
amputation a little above the wrist was absolutely necessary. Of course
Miles--although overwhelmed with dismay on hearing the fiat of the
doctors--could offer no objection. With the informal celerity of
surgical operations as practised in the field, the shattered limb was
removed, and almost before he could realise the full significance of
what was being done our poor hero was _minus_ his left hand! Besides
this, he was so cut and battered about, that most of his hair had to be
cut off, and his head bandaged and plastered so that those of his old
comrades who chanced to be with the troops at the time could recognise
him only by his voice. Even that was scarcely audible when he was
carried into Suakim.

At this time the hospitals at Suakim were overcrowded to such an extent
that many of the wounded and invalids had to be sent on by sea to Suez
and the hospitals at Ramleh. Miles was sent on along with these, and
finally found rest at Alexandria.

And great was the poor fellow's need of rest, for, besides the terrible
sufferings and hardships he had endured while in captivity, the wounds
and bruises, the loss of blood and of his left hand, and the fatigue of
the voyage, his mind was overwhelmed by the consideration that even if
he should recover he was seriously maimed for life. In addition to all
this suffering, Miles, while at Suakim, had received a blow which
well-nigh killed him. A letter came informing him of the sudden death
of his father, and bitter remorse was added to his misery a