tween ourselves, that was rather a
horrible bit of business, eh?--that attack in the half-darkness."

"Well, sir, it wasn't quite like an _al fresco_ ball," said Dickenson
gruffly.

"Of course not. Bayoneting and bludgeoning with rifle-butts?"

Dickenson nodded.

"And all on the top of the excitement of the march and the long waiting
to begin?"

"Just so, sir," said Dickenson.

"Enough to over-excite a young fellow's brain?"

"Well--yes, sir; it's not at all cheerful work. But, really, I don't
see what you mean."

"Just this, my dear boy, and, as I said, between ourselves. You don't
think, do you, that just in the midst of the fight poor Lennox was
seized with what you vulgar young fellows call a fit of blue funk, do
you?"

"No, sir, I do not," said Dickenson stiffly. "Certainly not."

"Lost his nerve?"

"No, sir."

"I've lost mine before now, my lad, over a very serious operation--when
I was young, you know."

"May be, sir; but Drew Lennox is not the sort of fellow for that."

"As a rule, say."

"Yes, as a rule, sir, without a single exception."

"And took fright and ran?"

"Rubbish, sir! He couldn't."

"Just as Roby says?"

"Roby's mad."

"And as Corporal May holds to in corroboration?"

"No, sir, no; and I should like to see Corporal May flogged."

"Rather an unpleasant sight, my lad," said the doctor quietly, "even
when a culprit richly deserves it. But about Lennox. He might, though
as a rule brave as a lion, have had a seizure like that."

"No, he mightn't sir," said Dickenson stoutly.

"You don't know, my lad."

"Oh yes, I do, sir. I know Drew Lennox by heart."

"But there is such a thing as panic, my lad."

"Not with him, sir."

"I say yes, my lad. Recollect that he had a terrible shock a little
while ago." Dickenson's lips parted. "He was plunged into that awful
hole in the dark, and whirled through some underground tunnel. Why,
sir, I went and looked at the place myself with Sergeant James, and he
let down a lantern for me to see. I tell you what it is; I'm as hard as
most men, through going about amongst horrors, but that black pit made
me feel wet inside my hands. I wonder the poor fellow retained his
reason."

"But he got the better of that, sir," said Dickenson hoarsely.

"How do you know, sir? He seemed better; but a man can't go through
such things as that without their leaving some weakening of the mental
force."

"Doctor, don't talk like that,