ugh his mind, he hastily drew a cartridge from his box, broke
the little roll open, scattering the powder and setting the bullet free
before passing it to his companion, who nodded in silence as he seized
the piece of lead between his teeth. Then, nodding again, he raised one
hand, which Pen took, and seizing one of the branches of the gnarled
tree he bent it down till he got it close to his companion, and bade him
hold on with all his might.

Punch's fingers closed tightly upon the bough, which acted like a spring
and helped to raise its holder sufficiently high for Pen to get him once
more upon his shoulders, which he had freed from straps thrown down
beside his rifle.

"Try and bear it," he panted, as he heard the low, hissing breath from
the poor fellow's lips, and felt him quiver and wince. "I know it's
bad," he added encouragingly, "but it won't take me long."

It did not, for in a very few minutes he had reached the rough stone
wall, to which he shifted his burden, stood for a few moments panting,
and then climbed over, took the sufferer in his arms, and staggered into
the waiting shelter, where the next minute Punch was lying insensible
upon the bed.

"Ha!" ejaculated Pen as he passed the back of his hand across his
streaming forehead.

This suggested another action, but it was the palm of his hand that he
laid across his companion's brow.

"All wet!" he muttered. "He can't be very feverish for the perspiration
to come like that."

Then he started violently, for a shadow crossed the open door, and he
involuntarily threw up one hand to draw his slung rifle from his
shoulder, and then his teeth snapped together.

There was no rifle there. It was lying with his cartouche-box right
away by the stunted oak, as he mentally called the cork-tree.

The next minute he was breathing freely, for the deep-toned bleat of the
goat arose, and he looked out, to see that it was answerable for the
shadow.

"Ah, you will have to pay for this," he muttered, as he started to run
to where his weapon lay, his mind full now of thoughts that in his
efforts over his comrade had been absent.

He was full of expectation that one or other of the vedettes might have
caught sight of him bearing his load to the hut; and, with the full
determination to get his rifle and hurry back to defend himself and his
companion for as long as the cartridges held out, he started with a run
up the slope, which proved to be only the stagger o