“Is it military?” said the Doctor.
“No, no, no, no. I was only going to say, have any of the men seen anything of that big fellow, Dula’s husband?”
“No,” said the Doctor. “He and his wife disappeared during the attack, didn’t they?”
“Yes,” said Mrs Morley. “I’m afraid they lost their lives.”
“Humph! Maybe,” said the Doctor. “It is quite enough for them to be seen here with us to bring upon them the enemy’s spears. But don’t, please, my dear—don’t! I’ve never said a word, but you know that I have felt it as cruelly as you, and I would have done anything to have gone up the river with those two people to try to bring back our poor child.”
“Yes, yes, I know; and I have tried, dear, to keep my sorrow to myself.—Hush, hush! Here’s Archie Maine. Not a word before him.”
Mrs Morley held out her hand to the young man as he came up, and the Doctor nodded shortly as he saw the lad’s contracted, anxious face.
“Anything fresh, boy?” said the Doctor.
“No; only the old bad news: we are coming down to the last cartridge for the rifles, and we officers have only too few for our revolvers.”
“Well,” said the Doctor, “you know what the Major said. There are the bayonets.”