Fix Bay'nets: The Regiment in the Hills

“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 snatch 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.”

The next moment the boot was off, and Bracy lay with his eyes closed.

“Like some more ice, sir?” said Gedge eagerly.

“No, my lad; I’m not going to faint this time. Got some snow, and take my handkerchief to bind some round the ankle. But look first whether you can make out any movement amongst the enemy.”

“It’s getting dark down there, sir, though it’s so bright up here, and the great long shadders of the mountain seems to have swallered ’em up. But they’ve got a whacking great fire, sir, so they must be going to camp there for the night.”

“I don’t think they could have made us out, Gedge. – Ha! that feels comforting. But now listen to me.”

“Yus, sir. I may go on doing up your leg, though?”

“Oh yes; only attend.”

“Of course, sir.”

“You can tell the Ghoorkha Colonel – ”

“Yes, sir?” said Gedge, for Bracy stopped short. – “He’s going off his head again.”

“And Colonel Graves, if you get back – ”

“Yus, sir.”

“That I did everything that man could do to reach the Ghil Valley.”

“That I’ll swear, sir.”

“And that he must lose no time in hurrying to the fort. If he likes to detach half a company to try and pick me up, he will do so; but the fort is to be the first consideration. Do you hear?”

“Yus, sir. – Oh yus, I hears,” said Gedge through his teeth as, with the help of Mrs Gee’s pocket-book packet, he put some oil-silk over the snow, and then applied the broadest bandage he could find cleverly enough.

“That’s right. I’m a bit of a coward, Gedge,” continued the poor fellow, with a smile.

“Yes, sir, you are, sir,” said Gedge; “an out-and-outer.”

“And I want to have as little pain to bear as I can while you’re gone.”

“Course you do, sir. That’s why I’m doing this.”

“Make haste, while the light lasts. I want you then to take the rest of the food and put it in your own haversack.”

“Yes, sir; not inside?”

“To use as sparingly as you can, so as to make it last till you reach the Ghil Valley. I have broken down, Gedge, but you must get there. Do you hear? – must.”

“Yes, sir, I hear – must.”

“It means salvation for the poor creatures yonder, holding out their hands to us for help.”

“Yes, sir. – But a deal you can see that,” muttered Gedge.

“And it means a sergeant’s stripes for the brave lad who took the message in the terrible emergency.”

“Sergeant, sir? As big a man as old Gee?”

“Yes; and as good a non-commissioned officer, and I hope a more popular man.”