"Ha!" he cried. "You startled me, Gedge. Want the gla.s.s?"

"Had it, sir, thank ye."

"See anything?"

"Yes, sir. There's three lots o' them Dwats down low there--six or seven hundred of 'em, I should say."

"Ah!" cried Bracy, rising quickly into a sitting position, but yielding to an agonising pain and letting himself sink back with a groan.

"Hurt yer, sir?" said Gedge commiseratingly.

"Horribly. But tell me; have I been asleep?"

"Hours and hours, sir. It's just sundown. I was in hopes you'd be better, sir."

"I am, Gedge. I was in a horrible state before. My brain seemed numbed."

"No wonder, sir, lying in the snow all night; but you talk quite straight now."

"Did I seem incoherent before?" said Bracy excitedly.

"Well, sir, I don't say you was ink-o--what you call it: but you was a bit touched in the upper story; and that was only nat'ral, sir."

"Tell me about the enemy down below. Have they made us out?"

"I think not, sir; but I must out with it, sir."

"Ah! there is danger?"

"Oh no, sir, I don't think so; but I can't give much of a report, for I had to do sentry-go while you slep', sir."

"Did you? Well, you're a good fellow, Gedge."

"Not a bit of it, sir. There, it must come to the top. I'd rather tell you than you should find it out, sir. I held up as long as I could, and kep' going to sleep walking or standing still; and at last, after getting out your gla.s.s, I knelt down to put it back, and down I went right off to sleep, just as if some one had hit me on the head with the b.u.t.t of his piece."

"I'm glad of it, Gedge," said Bracy, smiling.

"Glad of it, sir?" said the lad, staring.

"Heartily. It was the only thing you could do after what you had gone through."

"Beg pardon, sir, but as a soldier--" began Gedge.

"Soldiers cannot do impossibilities, my lad. I have all the will and spirit to get on to the Ghil Valley, and yet here I am with my urgent message undelivered, and lying sleeping the greater part of a day."

"Oh, that's different, sir. You're sorter like being in hospital and wounded."

"If not wounded, Gedge," said Bracy sadly, "I am crippled."

"Don't say that, sir," cried the lad excitedly. "I thought you said there was nothing broke."

"I did not think so then, my lad, but there is something wrong with my right leg."

"Amb'lance dooty--first help," said Gedge quickly. "Let's look, sir."

Bracy bowed his head, and the young soldier ran his hand down the puttee bandage about his officer's leg, and drew in his breath sharply.

"Well," said Bracy faintly, "what do you make out?"

"Leg's not broke, sir, but there's something awfully wrong with the ankle. It's all puffed up as big as my 'elmet."

"I was afraid so. Here, help me to stand up."

"Better not, sir," protested Gedge.

"Obey orders, my lad," said Bracy softly, and with a smile at his attendant. "You're not the Doctor."

"No, sir, but--"

"Your hands."

Gedge extended his hands, and by their help Bracy rose, to stand on one leg, the other hanging perfectly helpless, with the toes touching the rock.

"Help--me--" said Bracy faintly, and he made a s.n.a.t.c.h at Gedge, who was on the alert and caught him round the waist, just in time to save him from a fall.

The next moment he had fainted dead away, to come-to in a few minutes and find his companion laying snow upon his temples.

"Ah!" he sighed; "that's refreshing, Gedge."

"Have a bit to suck, sir?"

"Yes."

Bracy lay for a few minutes letting the snow melt in his mouth; then calmly enough he went on:

"I've got a bad wrench, my lad. My ankle must have doubled under me when I fell. There's no help for it; we have had nothing but misfortunes from the start, but this is the culmination--the worst of all."

"Is it, sir? I'm glad o' that."

"Glad?"

"Yes, sir; 'cause, you see, when things comes to the worst they begins to mend. So will your leg if you let me get the puttee and boot off.

If you don't I shall be 'bliged to cut it off before long."

"Go on; you're quite right, my lad," said Bracy calmly; and as the young soldier eagerly busied himself over the frightfully swollen place, unwinding the bandages, which cut down into the flesh, and unlacing the boot, he went on talking calmly:

"About this boot, sir; I've unlaced it as far as I can, and it's quite fast on. Shall I cut it or will you try and bear a wrench?"

"Don't cut it, my lad. Give a quiet, firm drag. I'll bear the pain as well as I can."