“Ah!” cried the Major, after a hearty draught. “That’s like new life. I had half-forgotten. Everything’s been swimming round me. Now tell me, some one—you, Sergeant—did not Mr Maine come suddenly upon us, as if from the dead, to help us at the last?”
“Yes, sir; and young Pegg as well,” said the wounded Sergeant, saluting, as he supported himself upon the rifle and broken bayonet he held. “But—”
“Ah!” cried the Major excitedly. “Don’t say that—”
“No, sir, I hope it’s not that,” said the Sergeant huskily; “but they were both amongst the missing as I tried to call the roll.”
“Wrong, Sergeant!” cried a husky voice, and all turned and saw a grim-looking private sitting with his bandaged head resting upon one hand.
“What do you know, then, Joe Smithers?”
“Only here they come,” growled the poor fellow, as he flung up his disengaged hand and cried, “Hoo—”
He meant to say “Hooray,” but his feeble voice was drowned in a fresh burst of cheers, as from the direction of the Doctor’s bungalow Minnie Heath appeared, nominally led by Archie and Peter Pegg, but partly supporting them as they tottered on either side.
At that moment a wild cry of joy rang out, and Joe Smithers’s wife, who had dropped a great brass lotah of clear, cold water which she had been to fetch from the Doctor’s well, hurried in to announce that the commanding officer was down, and had brought the Doctor with his wife to attend to their brave old friend.
Poor Archie and Peter had to snatch at the nearest hands, as, with a cry of joy, Minnie sprang to her aunt; while, after an interval devoted to embrace and welcome, the Doctor turned to Archie and began to examine his hurts.