."

He took the young officer in his charge from that moment, and his first
order was that his patient was to be left entirely alone, and, after
partaking of a little refreshment, he was to rest and sleep for as many
hours as he could.

"The poor fellow has had a terrible shock," he said to the colonel.

"Of course; but one naturally would like to know how he managed to
escape."

"Very naturally, my dear sir; but his eyes tell me that if his brain is
not allowed to recover its tone he'll have a bad attack of fever. A man
can't go through such an experience as that without being terribly
weakened. I want him to be led into thinking of everything else but his
escape. I dare say after a few hours he will be wanting to talk
excitedly about all he felt; but he mustn't. Not a question must be
asked."

As it happened, the patient did exactly what the doctor wished: he
slept, or, rather, sank into a state of stupor which lasted for many
hours, came to his senses again, partook of a little food, and then
dropped asleep once more; and this was repeated for days before he
thoroughly recovered, and then began of his own volition to speak of his
experience.

It was about a week after his mishap, in the evening, when Dickenson,
just returned from a skirmish in which the Boers had been driven back,
was seated beside his rough couch watching him intently.

"Don't sit staring at me like that, old fellow," said Lennox suddenly.
"You look as if you thought I was going to die."

"Not you! You look a lot better to-night."

"I am, I know."

"How?" asked Dickenson laconically.

"Because I've begun to worry about not being on duty and helping."

"Yes; that's a good sign," said Dickenson. "Capital. Feel stronger?"

"Yes. It's just as if my strength has begun to come back all at once.
Did you drive off the enemy to-day?"

"Famously. Gave them a regular licking."

"That's right. But tell me about Corporal May."

"Oh no, you're not to bother about that."

"Tell me about Corporal May," persisted Lennox.

"Doctor said you weren't to worry about such things."

"It isn't a worry now. I felt at first that if I thought much about
that business in the cave I should go off my head; but I'm quite cool
and comfortable now. Tell me--is he quite well again?"

"Not quite. He has had a touch of fever and been a bit loose in the
knob, just as if he had been frightened out of his wits."

"Of course," said Lennox quietly. "