wad advise him to erec' an hospital in his lifetime for incurable
eediots, an' to gang in himsel' as the first patient. But, come awa wi'
yer wull, serjint."

"Get ready, then, my lawyer, and see that you put it down all
ship-shape, as poor Molloy would have said."

"Oh, ye needna fear," said the Scot, "I'm no' sic an ass as to trust to
my ain legal knowledge. But jist you say what ye want an' I'll pit it
doon, and then write it into a form in the reg'lar way."

After mentioning a few trifling legacies to various comrades, Hardy said
that he had managed to save a hundred pounds during his career, which he
wished to divide between his two comrades, John Miles and Willie
Armstrong, for whom he expressed strong regard.

Sutherland, instead of noting this down, looked at his friend in sad
surprise, thinking that weakness had caused his mind to wander.

"Ye forget, serjint," he said softly, "that Miles an' Airmstrang are
baith deed."

"No, lad; no one can say they are certainly dead."

"Aweel--we canna exactly say it, but when ye consider o' the born
deevils that have gotten haud o' them, we are entitled to _think_ them
deed ony way."

"They are reported as `missing,' that is all, and that is enough for me.
You write down what I tell you, lad. Now, have you got it down?"

"Ay, fifty to each."

"There may be some interest due on the account," said the sergeant
thoughtfully; "besides, there may be a few things in my kit that I have
forgotten--and it's not worth while dividing such trifles between them."

"Weel, weel, ye've only to mak yin o' them yer residooary legitee, an'
that'll pit it a' richt."

"True, my lawyer. Let it be so," said Hardy, with a short laugh at the
thought of making so much ado about nothing. "Make Miles my residuary
legatee. And now, be off, draw it out fair, an' leave me to rest, for
I'm a trifle tired after all this legal work."

The will thus carefully considered was duly made out, signed, and
witnessed, after which Sergeant Hardy awaited with cheerful resignation
whatever fate should be appointed to him.

His strong frame and constitution, undamaged by youthful excess, fought
a vigorous battle for life, and he began slowly to mend; but the climate
of Suakim was so bad for him that he was finally sent down to the
hospital at Alexandria, where, under much more favourable circumstances,
he began to recover rapidly.

One of the nurses there was very kind to him. Finding that the