look here, I'm precious
glad. This means you're going to live it down."

Lennox nodded. "Here," he said, "let's go into our hut."

"No, not yet. I want to walk up and down in the fresh air a bit."

"But the sun is terribly hot."

"Do you good," said Dickenson abruptly. "Let's go right to the end and
back three or four times."

"Bah!" said Lennox. "You want to do this so as to ostentatiously show
that you mean to keep friends with me."

"Suppose I do. I've a right to, haven't I?"

"Not to give me pain. It does. Help me to live it down quietly."

"Very well; if you like it better. But I say, you'll show up in the
mess-room to-night?"

"Why should I?"

"Because the place is wretched and the fare's--beastly. There, that
doesn't sound nice, but I must say it."

"I had rather stay away. It would only provoke what I should feel
cruelly, and I could not resent it."

"No, but I could; and if any one insults you by sending you to Coventry,
I'll provoke him. I suppose I mustn't punch my superior officer's head,
but off duty I can tell him what I think of him, and I'll let him have
it hot and strong."

"Then I shall stay away."

"No, you sha'n't. I will instead."

"That would be worse, Bob. Look here; I want you to help me to live
this charge down, to treat it with quiet contempt. If you make yourself
so fierce a partisan you will keep the wound sore and prevent it from
healing up."

"Very well, then; I'll give it a good chance. There, I promise you I
won't show my temper a bit; only play fair."

"In what way?"

"Don't turn upon me afterwards and call me a coward for not taking your
part."

"Never fear. I don't want you to get into hot water for my sake."

"My dear boy," said Dickenson, chuckling like a cuckoo in a coppice in
early spring, "that's impossible."

"Why?"

"Because I'm in hot water now with everybody, and have been ever since."

"I am sorry."

"And I am glad--jolly glad. Oh, don't I wish there was duelling still!"

"Haven't you killed enough men to satisfy you?" said Lennox sadly.

"More than enough. I don't want to kill brother officers, only to give
them lessons in manly faith. But bother that! I say: you promise to
come and take your place this evening?"

"Yes; I promise," said Lennox quietly.

"Then I'll tell you something. Roby's coming too."

"Roby!"

"Yes; for the first time since he got his wound."

Lennox was silent.

"There, I'm not going to tr