,
as it swims and flickers before wounded eyes. I shut mine to bring it
back, but all that comes is the keen brown face of Raffles, still a
shade paler than its wont; now bending to sight and fire; now peering
to see results, brows raised, eyes widened; anon turning to me with the
word to set my tight lips grinning. He was talking all the time, but
for my sake, and I knew it. Can you wonder that I could not see an
inch beyond him? He was the battle to me then; he is the whole war to
me as I look back now.

"Feel equal to a cigarette? It will buck you up, Bunny. No, that one
in the silver paper, I've hoarded it for this. Here's a light; and so
Bunny takes the Sullivan! All honor to the sporting rabbit!"

"At least I went over like one," said I, sending the only clouds into
the blue, and chiefly wishing for their longer endurance. I was as hot
as a cinder from my head to one foot; the other leg was ceasing to
belong to me.

"Wait a bit," says Raffles, puckering; "there's a gray felt hat at deep
long-on, and I want to add it to the bag for vengeance....
Wait--yes--no, no luck! I must pitch 'em up a bit more. Hallo!
Magazine empty. How goes the Sullivan, Bunny? Rum to be smoking one
on the veldt with a hole in your leg!"

"It's doing me good," I said, and I believe it was. But Raffles lay
looking at me as he lightened his bandolier.

"Do you remember," he said softly, "the day we first began to think
about the war? I can see the pink, misty river light, and feel the
first bite there was in the air when one stood about; don't you wish we
had either here! 'Orful slorter, orful slorter;' that fellow's face, I
see it too; and here we have the thing he cried. Can you believe it's
only six months ago?"

"Yes," I sighed, enjoying the thought of that afternoon less than he
did; "yes, we were slow to catch fire at first."

"Too slow," he said quickly.

"But when we did catch," I went on, wishing we never had, "we soon
burnt up."

"And then went out," laughed Raffles gayly. He was loaded up again.
"Another over at the gray felt hat," said he; "by Jove, though, I
believe he's having an over at me!"

"I wish you'd be careful," I urged. "I heard it too."

"My dear Bunny, it's on the knees you wot of. If anything's down in
the specifications surely that is. Besides--that was nearer!"

"To you?"

"No, to him. Poor devil, he has his specifications too; it's
comforting to think that.... I can't s