“I guess I’m getting dippy,” the boy said, as he laid the instrument down. “I knew that the tourniquet was in the medicine box. I’m sure getting balmy in the crumpet.”
This was slang of the worst kind, but the boys were too excited to remark it. The surgeon took the instrument and put it in position, remarking as he did so that the boy had already lost enough blood to run a mill.
“Can you bring him through now?” Jule asked eagerly.
“It is simply a question of good care,” was the reply.
The surgeon worked over the lad for a long time before he returned to consciousness. When at last he opened his eyes there was a smile in them.
He was still very faint, but he was very nervy.
“Where did you come from?” he asked the surgeon in a whisper.
The surgeon laughed.
“I came out of the rain!” was the reply.
“That’s Theodore Rand, formerly of the pirate craft Rambler,” said Paul. “He’s the quickest man at a broken leg I ever saw! I’m going to have him promoted. He’s going to be Chief Surgeon in the army before he dies!”