as in
his ker--ker--company, sir;" and the man's voice faltered.

"Yes, Gubbins," replied Green, who appreciated perhaps more than others
the sentiment which animated the poor fellow, for he himself had been a
bit of a butt at first, and had been very grateful for Tom Strachan's
friendship. "I am to take two men of Captain Fitzgerald's company, and
you shall be one of them."

"Thank you kindly, sir."

"And pick another to go with him, will you, sergeant? A fellow with his
wits about him, you know."

He did not add "to make up for poor Gubbins's deficiency in that
respect," but that was what he meant, and so the sergeant understood
him.

"Let me see," he said, on rejoining his company; "his servant would be
the best man. Dodd! Has any one seen Dodd?"

"He was killed, sergeant, just when the gun was taken."

"Ah, yes, so he was. Who to send? No, Sims, my lad; it would not do to
have both idiots."

"I saw Mr Strachan last, from all I can make out," said another man;
"send me, sergeant."

"Ah, yes, Davis, you will do. Where was it though?"

"It was in the nullah, sergeant. One of the Johnnies got past my
bayonet, and tried to wrestle, but I got my rifle at the port, and
pushed it forward into his face, damaging the sights a little and
knocking him down. And at that moment another of them jumped on my
shoulders from a rock above, sending me sprawling on top of the chap I
had just floored. I wriggled round and saw t'other with his spear up a
couple of feet over my neck, when he tumbled over, and there was Mr
Strachan, with his sword well into the Johnny's stomach. I jumped up,
and had no time to thank him, or see where he went. We was too busy."

"All right, you go at once with Gubbins to Mr Green; he is speaking to
the major, yonder. And hark! both of you. If you see an Arab lying
like dead, with a weapon of any sort in his hand, run your bayonet
through him first, and ask him if he is alive afterwards, for we have
lost too many men as it is, and the duties will come heavy. Right-about
turn; quick march!"

"Well, good luck go with you," Major Elmfoot was saying, as Green
started. "But I fear that he must be dead, or the ambulance would have
found him and brought him in."

"I wish they would not talk like that," thought Green, as he went off,
followed by his two men. "Everybody speaks of poor Tom in the past
tense, from the colonel to Gubbins. I won't believe that he is dead
till I see it;