Part 50 (1/2)
But he felt no inclination to speak, but lay listening to the chirping of the sparrows, and moved his head slightly to find that it was resting upon a piece of sacking laid over the straw.
That movement brought on the dizzy sensation again, and his head throbbed painfully for a time.
But the pain grew easier, and he lay perfectly still, watching the beautiful beam of suns.h.i.+ne which came through the open window, above which the roof went into a point, showing him that this was the gable end of the loft where he lay.
This did not surprise him, for he had been accustomed for months past to sleep in shed, stable, or loft, as well as in houses with decent rooms.
At one time for a month a church had been the barracks where he had lain. Rough quarters had become a matter of course, and he lay quite still, for how long he did not know, to be roused once more by a deep groan.
”Do you hear, lad? What's the good of going on like that?” said the familiar voice again.
”My head--my head!” moaned some one.
”Well, and my head, and my ribs, if you come to that; but I don't howl and groan.”
”Samson!”
”Master Fred! Captain, I mean. Hey, but it does a man good to hear you speak, again. Don't die this time, dear lad.”
”Die? I don't understand you.”
”Then the Lord be praised, you are not going to die!”
Fred lay wondering, for there came something like a sob from close at hand, though when he tried to turn towards the sound the horrible dizziness came back.
”Samson!”
”Yes, Master Fred.”
”What are you doing there?”
”Blubbering, dear lad, like a great calf as has lost its mother; but it's only because I'm so glad.”
”But, Samson, what does it all mean?”
”What, don't you know, my lad?”
”No.”
”Not that you are badly wounded--cut down same as I was when we charged?”
”When we charged?”
”Yes, when they took us front and rear in the dark wood.”
”Dark--wood?”
”Yes, lad. Some of us killed--I don't mean us--Smithers and Pelldike.
The advance escaped, and so did the rear. All of us with the prisoners got hurt more or less.”