“Good girl! But they’re no use for our men’s rifles.”
“The powder would be, Doctor,” said Archie; “and you might let us have the rifle for one of the men.”
“Yes, of course,” said the Doctor bitterly. “But how are you going to get them here?”
“Yes,” said Archie thoughtfully; “how are we going to get them here?”
“Why, my lad,” said the Doctor, “to reach the bungalow you would have to go through a little forest of spears, and if our lads managed to cut you out it would be only another patient for me to heal—if I could,” he added softly—“and the one we could least spare.”
“Poor boy!” said Mrs Morley as Archie went slowly away. “I wish I hadn’t mentioned the cartridges. Surely he won’t dream of trying to get them?”
“Oh no; it’s an impossibility. He would never be so mad.”
“I don’t know,” said Mrs Morley. “After what has been done by the men in volunteering to fetch in food, he will be offering to make some such dreadful venture.”
“Then he sha’n’t,” said the Doctor fiercely, “for I will make it my duty to put the Major on his guard.”