At last I found Dr. Khayme's tent, after having been directed wrong more than once. No one was there except a white servant; he told me that the Doctor, who was now at the field hospital, had been busy the whole of the preceding day and night in relieving the wounded; that he had taken no sleep at all. "I don't see how the Doctor stands what he goes through," said the man. "Yesterday the whole day long he was in the thick of it; he was in as great danger as the troops were; lots more than some of 'em. He said that the rebels wouldn't try to hit him; but for my part I wouldn't trust one of 'em as far as I could fling a bull by the tail; and him a tendin' to 'em just like they was our own men."
This was not the first I had heard of the Doctor's disregard of danger. At Bull Run he was known to follow a charge and assist the wounded as they fell. I supposed that there was no use expostulating with a man who so firmly believed in the peculiar doctrines of his philosophy.
About nightfall he came into the tent, rubbing his hands.
"Good evening, Jones. I expected to see you here. I suppose you think you are going to stay with me several days?"
"Why do you suppose so, Doctor?"
"Oh, by this and that. Your brigade will have nothing to do this side of the Chickahominy."
"I don't know anything about the Chickahominy," I replied.
"You will know."
"The brigade can be easy for some time, then?"
"Any man can be easy for some time if he has been ordered on special duty not to be demanded for some time."