e been hit, Mallett, and have had a very close shave of it,
indeed; but as it is, you will soon be about again."

"Where was I hit? I don't feel any pain."

"You were hit in the neck, about half an inch above the collarbone,
and the ball has gone through the muscles of the neck; and beyond
the fact that you won't be able to turn your head for some time,
you will be none the worse for it. An inch further to the right, or
an inch lower or higher, and it would have been fatal. It was not
one of the enemy who did you this service, for the ball went up
from behind, and came out in front; it is evidently a random shot
from one of our own fellows."

"I am always more afraid of a shot from behind than I am of one in
front when I am leading the company, doctor. The men get so excited
that they blaze away anyhow, and in the smoke are just as likely to
hit an officer two or three paces ahead of them as an enemy. How
long have I been insensible?"

"You were brought in here half an hour ago, and I don't suppose
that you had lain many minutes on the ground before you were picked
up."

"Have we taken the Imambarra?"

"Yes, and what is better still, our fellows rushed into the Kaiser
Bagh at the heels of the enemy. We got the news ten minutes ago."

"That is good indeed. We anticipated desperate fighting before we
took that."

"Yes, it was an unlucky shot, Mallett, that knocked you out of your
share in the loot. We have always heard that the place was full of
treasure and jewels."

"If there is no one else who wants your attention, doctor, I advise
you to join the regiment there for an hour or two. As for me, I
care nothing about the loot. There are plenty of fellows who will
benefit by it more than I should, and I give up my share
willingly."

The doctor shook his head.

"I am afraid I cannot do that; but, between ourselves, I have let
Ferguson slip away, and he is to divide what he gets with me."

"Have we any wounded?"

"I don't know yet. The whole thing was done so suddenly that the
loss cannot have been heavy. I was in the rear of the brigade when
you were brought in, and as the case at first looked bad, I got
some of the stretcher men with me to burst open the door of this
house and established a dozen temporary beds here. As you see,
there are only four others tenanted, and they are all hopeless
cases. No doubt the rest have all been carried off to the rear, as
only the men who helped me would have known of th