The boy stretched out his hand.
"I'm awfully sorry if I was rude. Don't go."
She yielded.
"All the same," she said, "you'll have to get used to a bit of loneliness. It can't be helped. Besides, you're not the only tiger that hasn't got a Christian. There's Major Shileto. And you can read and he can't."
The voice came from the next bed.
"Don't worry about me. Talk to the boy. I'll have some one to see me to-morrow. He won't, poor old chap!"
"Have a game of chess?" said the boy.
"With pleasure."
She fetched the board and chessmen from the long table running down the center of the ward, and they set out the pieces.
"I reckon to be rather good," said he. "Perhaps I might give you something."