"It came almost being your last dream," he replied quietly.
Without waiting for a reply, he laid Hal gently down again and hurried to Uncle John. The latter raised himself on one elbow even as Chester bent down beside him.
"Careless of me to get in the way of a bullet like that," he said with a faint smile. "I'll know better next time."
"Where are you hit, sir?" asked Chester anxiously.
"Caught me in the left side, some place," replied Uncle John, and with
Chester's aid, got to his feet.
Chester made a quick examination.
"Lucky, sir. Just a flesh wound," he said. "I'll have it fixed up in a jiffy."
Making a bandage of his handkerchief, he soon had the wound tied up as well as could be done under the circumstances. Then the lad lent Hal a hand as the latter staggered to his feet.
"How do you feel?" asked Chester.
"Well, I don't feel very chipper, and that's a fact," replied Hal with a grimace. "That fellow had powerfully strong fingers."