ing as if he was thinking deeply of the man's words and debating in
himself about the position he was going to occupy if an inquiry did
follow the captain's charges. He was not long in deciding, but he
forgot to whine as he said, "Off my head? Delirious? Not a bit. I saw
all the captain said, and I'm as clear as you are. I shall stick to it.
There's nothing like the truth."

"Oh yes, there is," said the orderly, chuckling; "a thoroughly good
thumping lie's wonderfully like it sometimes--so much like it that it
puzzles people to tell t'other from which."

"Look here, orderly; do you mean to tell me I'm a liar?" said the
corporal angrily.

"Not I. 'Tain't no business of mine; only it strikes me that there's
going to be a regular row about this. People as go righting don't like
to be called cowards. It hurts anybody, but when it comes to be said of
a soldier it's like skinning him. There, I must go and wet the
captain's lint."

Saying which, the orderly rose and went to captain Roby's side to
moisten the hot bandages, so that their rapid evaporation might produce
a feeling of coolness to his fevered head.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

A FIND.

Dickenson walked frowning away from the hospital hut, thinking of the
manner in which Roby had shifted the charge of cowardice from his
shoulders to Lennox's, and a sigh of misery escaped from his breast as
he made for the side of the bubbling stream.

"Poor fellow!" he said to himself. "I'm afraid that he's where being
called coward or brave man won't affect him."

He reached the beautiful, clear stream, lay down and drank like some
wild animal, and then began bathing his temples, the water setting him
thinking of Lennox's adventures by its source, and clearing his head so
much that when he rose at last and began to walk back to his quarters he
felt wonderfully refreshed.

This state of feeling increased to such a degree that when he once more
lay down after taking off his hot jacket, the heat from the roof, the
buzzing of the flies, and the noises out in the village square mingled
together into a whole that seemed slumber-inviting, and in less than ten
minutes he was plunged in a deep, heavy, restful sleep, which seemed to
him to have lasted about a quarter of a hour, when he was touched upon
the shoulder by a firm hand, and sprang up to gaze at the light of a
lantern and at nothing else.

"Close upon starting-time, sir," said the sergeant out of the darkness