.

They carried him into the room that had been turned into a theatre. He
found that the same young Doctor was to operate on him. He was alarmed
at his youth.

"I like a fellow to have white hair if he's to operate on me," he said
to himself.

Another Doctor began to adjust the ether apparatus.

"Look here," he mumbled, "how do you know my heart's strong enough for
this sort of thing?"

"Don't be a fool; it's your only chance."

"Oh, all right. Have it your own way, only don't say I did not warn
you!" he replied.

"Rather a character," said one of the Doctors, as he placed the sodden
wool firmly over his nose and mouth.

"Yes," replied the Sister; "he said just now that the operation would be
unsuccessful and that he would die!"

Drat the woman, she had spoiled his last joke!

He strove to explain. But the fumes were clutching at his senses, and he
could not. The white walls of the room swam and bounced before his eyes.
Rivers were pouring into his ears. Everything was grey and vibrating. He
made a frantic effort to turn his thoughts towards God and home, "in
case." But he failed to think of anything.

With a jerk his senses left him.

* * * * *

When he recovered his senses it was still dark, but he realised that he
was in another room.

And in that room he stayed for nearly a fortnight before the Doctor
would allow him to proceed to the Base.

As regards the paralysis, there was little or no improvement, although
he thought at one time that he was succeeding in wagging his big toe.
The Doctor would come in and say with mock petulance, "Surely you can
move that finger now. Pull yourself together! Make an effort!"

He used to make tremendous efforts. Even his left hand used to twitch
with the effort of trying to move the right.

"No, not your left; the right," the Doctor would say.

Then he would laugh, and go away saying that it would be all right in
time.

His chief difficulty, not counting, of course, the perpetual headache,
was his inability to sleep. The nights seemed interminable, and he
dreaded them. The days were only less so because of the excitement of
meals and being talked to by the Sister. They became fast friends, and
she would tell him all about her work, her troubles with the Doctors and
with refractory Orderlies. They used to laugh together over the short
temper of a patient below, whom she used to call "Old Fiddlesticks," and
who seemed to be the