ake quite sure, though, he
drew a deep breath and spoke again:

"I am wounded, sir, but I will be obeyed."

"All right, sir; soon as ever we get out o' shot."

"But you are hurting me horribly; and can't you see that, carrying me
like this, you may receive the next bullet?"

"Oh yes, sir; I can see," said Gedge coolly; "but you be quiet, and I
won't hurt you more'n I can help."

Bracy's voice had lost all its anger, and it was in no tone of command
that he said:

"Set me down, my lad, and hold my arm. I'll try to walk beside you
while you take a shot or two at those cowardly brutes."

"Ah, that's just what I'd like to do, sir; but it would on'y be waste o'
time. They'd hit us, too, if we stood still for me to fire. It's our
keeping moving that helps. 'Sides, I know it would only make your
wounds break out worse, and shift the bandage. You keep quiet, for I
ain't got no breath for talking."

Bracy was silent, and slowly and steadily Gedge trudged on, growing more
and more exhausted, and looking to right and left for some cavernous
hole in which he could take refuge so as to screen his burden and defend
him so long as he had a cartridge left.

"And even then," he muttered softly, "there's the bay'net. Wonder how I
could get on in fair fight against one of the niggers with his tullywar.
Too much for him, I fancy, for I am good at that game. Urrrr!" he
snarled again, for half-a-dozen shots were fired at them almost
together, but this time from lower down the defile in front, where the
enemies who had fled were gathering again in force.

"That was a near un, sir," said Gedge as a bullet whizzed just over his
head. "Well sir, I beg pardon, sir, and hope you won't report me for
disobeying my sooperior orficer. I was a bit waxy and warm with
a-carrying of yer; for you are a bit heavy, sir. Now, sir, please, I'm
a-going to set you down gently and take you up on my back."

Bracy paid no heed, but gazed down the narrow gorge, from whose sides
more shots were fired.

"D'yer hear, sir? You're most a-choking o' me with that there arm."

"Forward!" said Bracy between his teeth. "Mind, there's a great rift
there. Don't stumble."

"I'm a-going to shift you first, sir. Once you're on my back I can
straddle that easy."

"Yes, Gedge, I know," said Bracy as firmly as he could; "but don't
insult me any more."

"Insult yer, sir? I wouldn't do it. How!"

"By thinking your officers want to shelter themselve