."

"You don't know what you're talking about, my lad."

"Oh, don't I, sir? I just do. Voluntary action, don't you call it? I
just seem to see myself lying in yonder with old Gee coming to see me,
and with a leg and a arm ready to go off as yours seem to do. My word,
the times I've felt like giving old Gee one, but dursen't, because it's
striking your sooperior officer. Just think of it, sir; knocking him
right over all innercent like, and not being able to help it. Why, I'd
give anything to have your complaint."

"Nonsense, nonsense! You are talking folly."

"Can't help that, sir. It'd be worth months o' pain to see old Gee's
face, and to hear him asking yer what yer meant by that."

"No, no; it's horrible--and it means, I'm afraid, becoming a hopeless
cripple."

"There, you're getting down in the mouth again. Don't you get thinking
that. But even if you did, we'd make the best of it."

"The best of it, man!" groaned Bracy.

"O' course, sir. You could get me my discharge, I dessay, and I'd come
and carry yer or push yer in one o' them pramblater things as gents sets
in and steers themselves. Then yer could ride o' horseback, or I could
drive yer in a shay; and then there's boats as you could be rowed about
in or have sails. It don't matter much about being a 'opeless cripple,
so long as you're a gentleman and don't have to work for your living.
Then, as to them two spring limbs, I could soon get used to them, sir,
and learn to dodge 'em; and if I was too late sometimes, it wouldn't
matter. All be in the day's work, sir. So don't you be down."

Bracy was silent for a few minutes; and seeing that he wished to think,
Gedge moved silently about the room, sponging up the water, that had
been spilled, taking down Bracy's sword and giving it a polish,
rearranging his clothes upon a stool, and whistling softly, though he
was in a good deal of pain, till he began chuckling to himself, and
Bracy turned his head.

"What are you laughing at?" he said.

"Only thinking about old Gee, sir. He 'listed just at the same time as
me, sir; and then, all along of his bumptiousness and liking to bully
everybody, while I was always easy-going and friends with every one, he
gets first his corp'ral's stripes, and then his sergeant's, and begins
to play Jack-in-office, till his uniform's always ready to crack at the
seams. Just fancy, sir, being able to give him a floorer without
helping it. Ho, my!"

Gedge had t