Draw Swords! Part 35

"You saw the Rajah to speak to, then?"

"Oh, yes, sir. I went straight to the side of his elephant. He says the engagement is over for to-day, and the enemy beaten off."

"Humph!" growled Wyatt. "Seems more like our being beaten in."

"Yes, sir. He said, too, that he should like to see Captain Hulton as soon as he could come."

"Then he will have to wait some time," muttered Wyatt. "Here, stay with Mr Darrell, Sergeant. Do all you can to help him, and then see to the men who are well enough being moved. We must have another room for them."

Wyatt stepped to the wounded men, said a few encouraging words to them, and then, telling his brother-officer he would be back as soon as possible, he went out to see to the prospects of defence, in case the enemy should obtain a lodgment in the city.

"What can I do, sir?" said the sergeant, crossing to where his young officer was busy with the wounded men.

"Anything, Stubbs. Hold this poor fellow up while I see to his wound."

"Right, sir. Who is it? Oh, it's you, Dundas.--Slit the linen right down, sir; that's the way.--How are you, my lad?"

"Bit sicky, Sergeant.--'Tar'n't much, is it, sir?"

"I hope not," said d.i.c.k. "The bullet is embedded in the muscles of the back. I will not attempt to extract it--only stop the bleeding."

"Pretty sort of a fellow you are, Joe Dundas, to get a wound like that,"

said the sergeant, holding a bra.s.s basin of water for the amateur surgeon to use. "I should be ashamed of it!"

"I am, Sergeant," said the man, smiling.

"Let it be a lesson to you, my lad. Never turn your back to the enemy.

Always show 'em your face."

"Shouldn't keep our guns long if we did, Sergeant," said the man grimly.

"Do I hurt you?" said d.i.c.k.

"Well, it isn't what one might call pleasant, sir. Not the sort of thing a man would choose to amuse him."

"But you can bear it?"

"Oh, yes, sir, I can bear it."

"Because I find I can touch the bullet, and it will be better out."

"Out with it, then, sir," said the sergeant; "Joe won't mind. Nasty ragged kind of bullets these are which they fire from their matchlocks, and they irritate."

"That hurt you, Dundas?"

"Yes, sir; but you go on," replied the man, who had winced from the pain he suffered.

"Yes, go on, sir," growled the sergeant. "You're too easy with him.

He's a man--not a gal. Never mind making him squeak. Our last surgeon used to say it did good and set up a healthy action."

"Hah!" whispered the man through his set teeth. "That was sharp, sir."

"Yes, but I've got the bullet," said d.i.c.k.--"Now, Sergeant, bathe away, and the wound will soon heal."

"Oh, yes.--You needn't lie up, Joe, my lad."

"Not going to, Sergeant."

"You can sit out in the yard for a few days and smoke your pipe, or go in and talk to the horses. And, if I was you, I should let one of the fellows in the bazaar drill a hole through that bullet and put a bit of gold wire through it, so that you can wear it on your watch-chain."

"Yes," said the man gravely.--"Been awkward, I s'pose, sir, if it had gone a bit farther?"

"Very," said d.i.c.k, who could not help feeling amazed at the calm way in which the stalwart gunner seemed to trust him.

"Heart, sir?"

"I think so."

"Ah, you'd know, sir," said the man. "It's a lucky thing for us chaps that you joined."

"Why?" said d.i.c.k, who was busy with a bandage.

"Well, sir, you see, you can lead and fight and at the same time you was born a doctor--so I've heared."

d.i.c.k laughed. "There," he said, finishing his task. "Now lie on your side, and go to sleep if you can. I hope Doctor Robson will soon be well enough to see to you."

"Thank ye, sir; but I mean to be well before he is," said the man cheerily.

d.i.c.k attended man after man with his a.s.sistants till they came to the last, who was lying on a charpoy with his face averted.

"Now, my lad," said the sergeant, "your turn. Yours a bullet too?"

The man slowly turned a face blackened with sweat and gunpowder, and looked up in a dazed way at the speaker.

"Bob Hanson!" cried the sergeant. "Why, I didn't know you were one of the men hit."

"Yes, Sergeant, I've got it this time," said the man grimly.

"Well, I'm sorry, my lad, for I never saw a gun better served than yours was to-day. Bullet in the back?"

"Two," said the man slowly. "I was. .h.i.t twice before we got to the middle of the river."

The wounds were painful, but they were superficial, the bullets having glanced from the rib-bones, and with care it only meant a fortnight in hospital, as d.i.c.k was able to announce; and while he was busy over the bandaging, the sergeant looked on, frowning. Hanson bore what must have been intense pain without flinching, and the young officer mused as he worked upon the strange accident which had brought this man completely helpless under his hands.

He was just finishing when Wyatt returned, to approach the beds and speak a word or two with each of the wounded.

"Painful, but not serious," he said, repeating d.i.c.k's words. "I'm very glad, my lads, for we can't spare you."

He laid his hand on d.i.c.k's shoulder, and walked with him to the window.