Dick laughed in his great joy at hearing the words.
“No,” he said: “it’s only me.”
“You? Who are you?”
“Dick. Mrs Corporal Beane’s Dick.”
“Oh, my boy, my boy, you have saved my life,” moaned the sufferer, catching the little fellow’s hand and pressing it to his fevered lips.
“But who are you?” said the boy. “I don’t know your voice.”
“Don’t you, my brave little fellow? Yes, you do—the Colonel, Colonel Lavis.”
“Oh,” said Dick wonderingly, “and did somebody shoot you?”
“Yes. I was hit twice. I crawled away among the bushes and rocks after I fell, and then all was dark, and I was trying to creep to where I could hear water. But tell me, my brave lad. They drove the Frenchmen off?”
“No,” said Dick sadly, and as he told all he knew the Colonel groaned again and again and to Dick’s horror he heard him mutter to himself:—