"No, Mr. Sturdy, it did no good, because it was all in broad Scotch."
"I'd no time to speak English. But, dear Sturdy, I could save hundreds, and the other doctors more, if we had only medical comforts and stores. Man, it would draw tears from a nether millstone to hear the poor fellows beggin' for a little soup or sago. Jack can tell you of the sufferings his men undergo in the trenches. My place is with the sick."
"And mine too," said Paddy O'Rayne. "And it's meself that belaves that my master here is killing himself for the want av slape, sorr, and I wish you'd spake to him. Faith, it would be the sorrowful day for us all if he was kilt entoirely. As for staling, sorr," he added, "I've tried it meself, so the surgeon shouldn't soil his sleeves."
"Yes," laughed Reikie, "I must say that Paddy does find a bit on the sly sometimes."
"Thrue for you, doctor, sorr; but it isn't always stolen it is. There was the other day, you know, when just across the lines that pony was shot with a bit of a shell: who had a better roight than our patients to it? But sure the loife was barely out av the baste when he was surrounded wid Frenchies, and if I hadn't learned to twirl a good shillalah in ould Oirland, it's sorra a hind leg av that pony I'd have had at all. 'Git off wid ye,' I cried, 'ye durty frog-atin' spalpeens!' They didn't understand a word I said; but troth they felt the whacks all the same. Well, sorr, as I was staggerin' back wid my beautiful hind leg av pony, who should I meet but a squad o' blue-jackets. 'Hullo, Paddy!' says one, 'down wid your leg; it's share and share alike.' But bless you, sorr, when I tould them the mate wasn't for myself at all, and that I'd just been after staling the leg av a horse to make a drop av beef-tea for the sick, sure they left in a body, and wouldn't have touched a morsel to save their lives; and it's nothing but the blessed truth I'm telling you, sorr."
"Talking about horses, Sturdy," said Reikie, "man, their sufferings are terrible! I don't think there are five hundred alive in the camp now, and these are only kept together by their skins. They used to have to come all the way down here for forage; but now if there was forage for them they couldn't carry it. We've had frost and snow on the Upland, and after every extra cold night, Sturdy, we have extra bodies to bury next day, both men and horses."
"And it's never a burial the horses get ayther," said Paddy, "and never a much the men, poor, dear sowls."
"But here come our fellows with the scanty stores," said Reikie.—"Now, Jack, we're ready for the march."
On their way up they were met by Llewellyn and a party of Highlanders returning from the army head-quarters, where they had been with biscuit.
Llewellyn halted his men, and gave the doctor and his party a hearty welcome.