"Well, sir, you might say I'm in just about the same position as Mister Exeter and Mister Talbot and Mister Chester. I'm an old soldier, much too old to be of any use in a regular war any longer; and I still fret for the days of bivouac and battle. If you'll pardon the liberty, sir, I must agree with you that it's a rum go, a very rum go. But if it's true, then I may be of some slight use in the world after all."
"You were a soldier, Johnson?" I asked.
"Sergeant, Boer War, sir. I fought at the siege of Ladysmith and a dozen other engagements."
"I thought the Boer War was a million years ago," said Marion Black.
"Very nearly, miss," said Johnson with a dry chuckle.
"Welcome to the ranks, Sergeant Johnson," said Alec Talbot.
I started to say something, but suddenly was very weary, so instead I went to sleep.
CHAPTER III
Ten days later they took off the bandages. The doctor had changed them and examined my eyes a number of times, but always in what was to me total darkness; I believe he used some sort of queer light, infra-red or black or what-have-you. I'm not up on these medical and scientific gadgets.