aruthers' rags stripped from
his body, and Ted bent over him, examining him closely.

"Ah, here it is," he said, as he turned Caruthers over.

"What?" asked the major, crowding in.

"Here in the back," said Ted, pointing to a small, round, bluish hole
just under Caruthers' right shoulder blade.

"By Jove, he's been shot through the body. That's what brought him to
this."

"But how did it happen, I wonder, that he was tied to the back of the
pony?" asked Ted.

"We'll never know until he tells us, probably," said the major. "If,
indeed, he ever is able to do that," he continued, after a slight pause,
looking sorrowfully at the young fellow, who seemed to have breathed his
last.

But Ted's ear was pressed close to his heart, and his fingers sought the
wounded man's pulse.

In a moment he straightened up.

"He's alive--only alive, and no more. But perhaps we can save him yet,"
he said. "Hustle, fellows! Stella, get me some hot water as soon as
possible. Bud, arrange a cot in my room near the window. Major, if you
have any brandy, let me have some. Kit, get the bandages ready and
prepare some carbolated water. All alive now."

Ted's vigorous action was followed by the others, and in a few minutes
Caruthers was stretched out on the cot in Ted's room.

At the movement the wound began to bleed, which was a good sign, and Ted
proceeded to wash it with warm water, and began to probe for the ball,
to ascertain, if possible, how deep it had gone.

As he was engaged in probing a slight groan came from between the blue
lips of the victim.

"All right, I've found it," said Ted, in a low voice to the major, who
was bending anxiously over the body of his brother.

"It's all right," continued Ted reassuringly. "It didn't go in very
deep, and if he can hold out for a moment or two I think I can get it
out. I've taken out worse ones than this."

Ted continued to work with the probe, and occasionally Caruthers stirred
and groaned.

Then came a gentle tug, and the bullet rolled out of the wound upon the
sheet.

It was followed by a spurt of blood, which Ted looked at closely.

"No danger," he said. "It is not arterial blood. Give me the water, and
then the bandages."

With deft and practiced fingers Ted bound up the wound as well as a
surgeon might.

"Now for a sip of the brandy, and we'll have him around all right," said
the young amateur surgeon.

He forced a teaspoonful of the ardent spirits between the pale l