Part 48 (1/2)

”Have you any spirits?”

”Yes, doctor, there is a flask in his holster.”

”Mix some with as much water, and pour a little down his throat from time to time. Fold his cloak, and put it under his head. He will probably recover consciousness in a short time. When he does so, impress upon him the necessity of lying perfectly quiet. As soon as the battle is over, we must get him moved into shelter.”

In half an hour Fergus opened his eyes. Karl, who was kneeling by him, placed one hand on his chest and the other on the wounded arm.

”You must not move, colonel,” he said. ”You have been hit, but the doctor says you will get over it; but you must lie perfectly still.”

Fergus looked round in bewilderment. Then, as the roar of the battle came to his ears, he made an instinctive effort to rise.

”It is going on still,” Karl said, repressing the movement. ”We shall thrash them, presently; but you can do nothing more today, and you must do as the doctor bids you, sir.”

”Where am I hit?”

”It is on the left arm, colonel. An Austrian cannonball did the business. If it had been three or four inches farther to the right, it would have finished you. As it is, I hope that you will soon get about again.”

”Then it has taken off my arm,” Fergus said feebly.

”Better that than your head, sir. The left arm is of no great account, except for holding a bridle; and there is a good bit of it left.

”Drink a little more of this brandy and water. How do you feel now, sir?”

”I feel cold,” Fergus replied. ”My feet are like ice.”

Karl wrapped Fergus's fur-lined pelisse round his feet, undid his blanket and cloak from his saddle, and laid them over him.

”That will be better, sir. Now, if you will promise to lie quite quiet, I will fasten your horse up--I don't know what has become of mine--and will go and collect some firewood and get up a good blaze. I am afraid there is no chance of getting you into a shelter, tonight.”

”I am afraid we are being driven down the hill again, Karl. The roll of musketry is coming nearer.”

”That is so, colonel; but we shall have the cavalry up soon, and that will make all the difference.”

Just as Karl came back with an armful of firewood, a staff officer rode up.

”The king has sent me to inquire how Colonel Drummond is,” he said.

”His majesty has heard that he is badly wounded, and has been carried here.”

”This is the colonel, major,” Karl said, leading him to the side of Fergus.

”I am sorry to see you here,” the officer said. ”The king has sent me to inquire after you.”

”Will you thank his majesty, Major Kaulbach; and tell him that it is nothing worse than the loss of a left arm, and that the surgeon's opinion is that I shall do well. How goes the battle?”

”Badly, badly; but Holstein will be up in a quarter of an hour, and then we shall have another try. We broke their line badly, last time; and if we had had cavalry to launch at them, we should have managed the business.”

”The king is unhurt, I hope.”

”Not altogether. He was struck from his horse by a piece of case shot, but his pelisse saved him. He was able to mount again in a few minutes, making very light of the affair; and was in the middle of the fight, as usual. I was next you when you were hit, and I saw your orderly lift you on to your horse before him and, as soon as we got down here, reported it to the king.”

”Our loss must be terribly heavy.”