“I suppose not,” I said earnestly. “It must have been very terrible to lie here listening to the fighting—wounded, too—and not able to join in.”
“Well, yes, that was pretty bail; but I didn’t worry about that. I knew the Colonel would manage all right. I was worried.”
“What worried you?” I said—“the pain?”
“Oh no; I grinned and bore that. Here, come closer; I don’t want that chap to hear.”
“What is it?” I said, closing up.
“It was that business yesterday, when I was hit.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t think about it,” I said.
“Can’t help it. I did try precious hard to carry it off before I quite broke down.”
“You bore it all like a hero,” I said.
“No, I didn’t, lad. I bore it like a big boarding-school girl. Oh! it was pitiful. Fainted dead away.”