"Pull yourself together!" he cried. "You must get out of here quickly." He shook Steadman again.
"Don't you understand?" he said sharply. "Your regiment leaves in an hour. Your regiment! Your company!"
Steadman looked at him dully. A burned-out cigarette hung from his under lip by its own cohesive ability.
"Rats!" he muttered. "I've chucked all that. Regiment can go for all of me unless it wants to wait."
"You fool!" shouted Ralston. "Don't you see it's the end of you if you don't go!"
"The end's come already! I'm a dead one now!"
"Get up there!" returned Ralston. "I'll put you at the head of your company in forty minutes. Get up, I say."
"Don't be an ass, Rals'on!" snarled Steadman. "I'll do as I choose. I tell you it's too late!"
"It's nothing of the kind. Why, man, your uniform's all ready for you. They haven't started yet. Buck up!"
"You seem awful interested, it strikes me."