"What's the good of a soldier with his arm in a sling? No: as soon as you are fit to move I shall have you sent down to Scutari."
"But I don't want to go: I had much rather stay here with the old corps."
He was thinking of the business he had still in hand.
"You will have to obey orders, anyhow, so make up your mind to go."
The regimental surgeon of the Royal Picts was a morose old Scotchman, very obstinate and intolerant of opposition. What he said he stuck to, and Hyde knew that he must prepare to leave the Crimea in a short time, probably before he was strong enough to go in person to headquarters and find out McKay.
It would be necessary, therefore, to find some other messenger, and, after considering what was best to be done, he resolved to beg Colonel Blythe to come and see him, intending to make him his confidant.
"Well, Rupert," said the Colonel—they were alone together—"this is a bad business. Macinlay tells me you won't be fit for duty for months. He is going to send you at once before a medical board."
"It is very aggravating, Colonel, as I particularly wished to be here for the next few weeks.
"To be in at the death, I suppose? We are bound to take the place at the next attack."
"I hope you may. But it is not that. Our friend McKay is in imminent danger."