base of the rock
there welled a tiny spring and spread itself in a miniature bog
before making up its mind to leap down the mountain-side and feed the
infant waters of the Taptee. Into this plashy soil the gun had
plunged and the carriage lay some yards away up-ended on a broken
wheel, but otherwise uninjured. Beside the carriage, when the
General reached it, an artillery sergeant and three of the team of
No. 2 gun were lifting the injured man.

"Badly hurt?"

The sergeant saluted. "We doubt it's over with him, sir. His back's
broken, seemingly."

The General turned away to examine the face of the cliff, and almost
at once gave vent to a low whistle.

"See here, Ellerton, the rock is caverned and the gun must have
broken through the roof. It doesn't look to me like a natural
cavern, either. Hi! half a dozen of you, clear away this rubbish and
let me have a nearer look."

The men turned to and heaved away the fallen stones under which the
water oozed muddily.

"Just as I thought! Nature never made a hole like this."

An exclamation interrupted him. It came from one of the relief party
who had clambered into the cavern and was spading there in the loose
soil.

"What is it?"

"A skeleton, sir!--stretched here as natural as life."

The General dismounted and clambered to the entrance, followed by his
staff officer. As they reached it, the man stooped again and rose
with something in his hand.

"Eh? A begging-bowl?"

"Not a doubt of it," said the staff officer, as his chief passed it
to him. He examined it, turning it slowly over in his hands.
"It's clear enough, though curious. We have struck the den of some
old hermit of the hills, some holy man--"

"Who pitched his camp here for the sake of the water-spring, no
doubt."

"Queer taste," said the staff officer sagely. "I wonder how the
deuce he picked up his food."

"Oh, the hill-men hereabouts will travel leagues to visit and feed
such a man."

"That doesn't explain why his bones lie unburied."

"No." The General mused for a moment. "Found anything else?" he
demanded sharply.

The searchers reported "Nothing," and wished to know if they should
bring the skeleton out into the light.

"No: cover him up decently, and fall in to limber up the gun!"
He took his horse's bridle and walked back to the group about the
injured man.

"Who is he?"

He was told, a corporal of the 94th who had volunteered for the gun
team two days before.