“Granted, my dear boy,” said the Doctor quietly. “There, Mr Drummond, you’ll have to go alone.”
“Not I,” said the subaltern, smiling. “I’ll come and take my dose with them.”
“Good boy!” said the Doctor, smiling.
“I suppose you have not had your two patients taken to the hospital yet?” said Bracy.
“Then you supposed wrongly, sir. There they are, and as comfortable as can be.”
“That’s capital,” cried Bracy, “for I wanted to come and see that poor fellow Gedge.”
“That fits,” said the Doctor, “for he was asking if you were likely to come to the hospital; but I told him no, for you would be on duty. This way, gentlemen, to my drawing-room, where I am at home night and day, ready to receive my visitors. Now, which of you, I wonder, will be the first to give me a call?”
“Look here, Doctor,” said Roberts, “if you’re going to keep on in this strain I’m off.”
“No, no; don’t go. You must see the place. I’ve a long room, with a small one close by, which I mean to reserve for my better-class patients.—Here, you two,” he said to the injured privates lying upon a couple of charpoys, “I’ve brought you some visitors.”
Sergeant Gee’s wife, whose services had been enlisted as first nurse, rose from her chair, where she was busy with her needle, to curtsey to the visitors; and Gedge uttered a low groan as he caught up the light cotton coverlet and threw it over his head.