's only natural. Children are cross when
they're unwell, and I suppose we're only big children. I say, heard the
news?"

"News? No; I hear nothing here."

"Poor old man! Well, the scouts have brought in news that two more
tribes have been bitten with the idea that they want their ranks thinned
a bit, and so they've joined the Dwats; so I suppose we shall have some
warm work."

"And I am lying here as helpless as a lump of lead. No; I did not
hear."

"Why, sir, I telled you all that only this morning," broke out Gedge.

"Eh? Did you, my lad?"

"Yes, sir; d'reckly after breakfast."

"So you did. I went to sleep afterwards, and it passed out of my
memory. I'm getting weaker, I suppose."

"Not you," cried Drummond. "Here, I say, as I'm a cripple too, I shall
come on more. What do you say to a game or two every day? Chess?"

Bracy shook his head.

"Of course not; chess is hard work. Well, then, draughts?"

Bracy shook his head again.

"Right; not much of a game. What do you say to dominoes? We've got a
set of double doubles; regular big ones. Shall I bring 'em on?"

"No," said Bracy decisively; "bring your field-glass, and come and sit
at that window. You can command a good deal of the valley there."

"What! and tell you all the movements I can make out? To be sure, dear
boy. Now, I never thought of that. So I will. I'll come on this
afternoon, and you and I will criticise them all and see if we could
have planned the beggars' attack better. There, I promised your
she-dragon of a nurse not to stay long, so off I go. Bye, bye, old
chap; you're beginning to look blooming. We'll do some Von Moltke,
and--ah! would you? I say, you are getting better. Larks--eh? But I
was too quick for you."

The young officer smiled and nodded merrily, and then went out of the
room, Gedge opening the door for him, and slipping out after.

"Well, what is it?" said Drummond, as Gedge stood looking at him
anxiously, and as if waiting for him to speak.

"Thought you was going to say something to me, sir, 'bout Mr Bracy
there. Don't speak so loud, or he'll hear you."

"Don't matter if he does, my lad. We're not conspiring against him.
What did you expect me to say?"

"Something about that arm of his'n, sir, and about him trying to kick
you just now."

"Oh, pooh! nonsense! His arm had gone dead; and as for his kicking at
me--well, we're getting old friends now, and it was for a bit of fun."

"Thi