Stan Lynn Part 53

"That's only natural, sir. Fever sets in generally after a wound."

"Oh, but you make too light of it," cried Stan. "He is shot right through the shoulder."

"So much the better."

"What!" cried Stan angrily. "How can that be so much the better?"

"There is no fear of dangerous inflammation caused by the presence of the bullet, for we know that it isn't in him, and Nature has set to work before now to begin healing him up."

"Without a doctor?"

"To be sure. She's a splendid surgeon, sir."

"I wish I could feel as confident as you do," said Stan.

"Well, learn all you can; you soon will."

"Then you think we might wait till the morning?"

"Certainly. You and I will take it in turns to watch him through the night, and in the morning we shall see."

"Very well," said Stan; "perhaps you are right, but I feel very anxious about Mr Blunt."

"So do I, sir; but I feel sure that we are doing right."

Right or wrong, a little thought taught the lad that he was helpless.

Night was at hand, and it would have been impossible to despatch a message till morning, for the presence of the pirates and the sound of the firing had put every owner of a boat to flight.

Hence it was, then, that the inevitable was cheerfully accepted.

That night darkness soon hid the towering sails of the retreating pirates; and in the morning watch, when Stan left Blunt's side to go to the roof and look out in the grey dawn, glad to breathe the fresh, cool air after some hours in the heated office where he had shared the watch by Blunt's rough couch, there was no sign of danger, scan the distant windings of the river how he would, while sunrise endorsed the fact that the enemy had sailed on all through the night for their rendezvous, scores of miles away.

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

"SHOT SILK."

It was the next evening when, after a whole day's rest pa.s.sed in a deep sleep quite free from fever--as Stan was made to notice by Wing the Chinaman, who drew his attention to the calmness of the sleep, the absence of all fever and restlessness, and, above all, the soft, fine perspiration which bedewed the patient's skin--Blunt slowly opened his eyes in the office, now made light and airy by the removal of the barricades, and lay looking up at the ceiling.

As Wing pointed out the fact to Stan, the movement he made startled the sufferer, who looked at him sideways and said:

"What's the matter? Where am I?"

Stan bent over him and replied.

"To be sure. Yes; I remember now. Ah, how weak I am! But tell me, Lynn; how are things going?"

Stan explained the position briefly.

"Good!" said Blunt. "Excellent! Thoroughly thrashed them?"

"For the present; but we all believe that they'll come back."

"No, no, Lynn," replied Blunt faintly; "not for long enough, if they ever do. Tell me again; how many did they lose?"

"Ought you to talk now?"

"Well, no, I suppose not much; but I'm all right, only very weak. I'm not going to die, my lad. There! I will not talk much. Go on telling me. I must hear."

Stan told him, but made no allusion to the bit of treachery; and when he had ended the manager smiled his approval.

"Just what I expected," he said. "Brave lads, all of them."

Hearing the talking, Stan's lieutenant in the defence came softly in, but not so quietly as to be unheard by the wounded man, who raised his hand on the uninjured side.

"Ah, Lawrence!" he said. "I've heard all about it. Bravely done, all of you. I'm better, you see. All that feverish muddle I felt in the head is gone."

"That's right, sir. I came in to see how you were."

"Couldn't be going on better."

"But what about sending down to Nang Ti for a native doctor?"

"What for?"

"To attend you, sir."

"Pooh! Absurd! Wing can do anything that a native doctor would suggest. He knows as much as I do, and I know by my symptoms that I'm going on all right."

"But we thought that as soon as you came to it might be better to send for help."

"No need, my man. I must be kept a bit low and quiet, not worried nor allowed to get up too soon, and I shall soon be as well as ever. Now tell me quietly, what have you done about our breastworks and the wall?"

"Nothing, sir."

"What! not got the boxes and bales under cover again?"

"We thought it better to leave things as they were in case the enemy returned."

"Bah! They will not come. But look here; the ammunition must be getting very low."

"Very, sir," said Lawrence, with a meaning look at Stan.

"To be sure.--Here, Lynn, first thing to-morrow morning write a despatch to your father, telling him of the attack and asking for a fresh supply of cartridges. It must be sent off by Wing in the first boat you can get hold of. At Nang Ti he will soon find a steamer bound for Hai-Hai-- You, Lawrence, start the first thing in the morning all hands at work to restore everything that is not damaged."

"Yes, sir."

"That will do. I must not talk any more. Good-night."