A burst of raucous coughing answered him. Several times it ceased for an instant and a voice tried to speak, but each time a fresh spasm of deep-chested wracking coughing interrupted.
"Who is this?" demanded the now aroused orderly. "What's the matter?"
Between intervals of coughing difficultly enunciated words reached him.
"This is—uch! uch!—Lieutenant Burroughs at the—uch!—Michaelville range. We have been—uch!—caught in a cloud of poison—uch! uch!—gas. Send an ambulance and a—uch!—surgeon at once. Better bring—uch!—gas masks."
"At the Michaelville range, sir? How many men are down there?"
"Uch! uch! uch!—five—all help—uch! uch!—helpless. Hurry!"
"Yes, sir. I'll start two ambulances down at once, sir."
"Don't forget the—uch! uch!—gas—uch!—masks."
"No, sir; I'll send them, sir."