"It isn't a bad wound. He was more scared than
hurt."

"I am glad it is no worse," said Captain Benson, who, with fatherly
solicitude for his men, had come to the hospital as soon as the company
was dismissed. "But what ails you, Tom? You look pale."

"Nothing, captain."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't think I am badly hurt. I believe one of those pistol balls grazed
my side; but I hardly felt it."

"Let me see," said the surgeon.

The doctor opened Tom's coat, and his gray shirt was found to be saturated
with blood.

"That's a worse wound than Pemberton's. Didn't you know it, Tom?"

"Well, of course I knew it; but I didn't think it was any thing," replied
Tom, apologetically. "I knew it wouldn't do to drop down, or we should all
be in Dixie in half an hour."

"You are my man for the present," said the doctor, as he proceeded to a
further examination of the wound.

Tom was hit in the side by one of the pistol bullets. As I have not the
surgeon's report of the case, I cannot give a minute description of it;
but he comforted Hapgood and the captain with the assurance that, though
severe, it was not a dangerous wound.

"Tom Somers, there's a sergeant's warrant in Company K for one of you
three men," said Captain Benson, when the patient was comfortably settled
upon his camp bed. "The colonel told me to give him the name of the most
deserving man in my company."

"Give it to Tom," said Hapgood, promptly. "He led off in this matter, and
ef't hadn't been for him, we should all have been on t'other side of the
river, and p'raps on t'other side of Jordan, afore this time. And then, to
think that the poor fellow stood by, and handled the boat like a
commodore, when the life-blood was runnin' out of him all the time! It
belongs to Tom."

"Give it to Tom," added Fred, who lay near the patient.

"No, Captain Benson," interposed Tom, faintly. "Hapgood is an old soldier,
and deserves it more than I do. Give it to him, and I shall be better
satisfied than if you give it to me."

"Tom Somers!" exclaimed old Hapgood, a flood of tears sliding down his
furrowed cheeks, "I won't stand nothin' of the sort! I'd jump into the
river and drownd myself before I'd take it, after what you've done."

"You are both worthy of it," added Captain Benson.

"Please give it to Hapgood," pleaded Tom. "He first proposed going out
after the little schooner."

"Give it to Tom, cap'n. It'll help heal his wound," said Hapgood.

"No; it would