"Matters have come to this, my lads, that I see you can stagger on no
longer with the loads you have to bear. In fact, two more poor fellows
are down, and it will take every fighting man to carry the others. So I
have been talking the matter over with the doctor, and it has come to
this, that our only chance is to leave the sick and wounded, and push
on, make for the river, in the hope of getting help, and coming back to
save them. What do you say?"
"Lord love you, sir," cried one of the sailors, "why, afore to-night
them niggers would have sarved every one of our poor mates like the
doctor, there, sarves the black beadles and butterflies--stuck a pin or
a kris through 'em."
It was a grim subject to jest upon, and it was a serious thing; but
there was a roar of laughter from the men, and the doctor chuckled till
he had to hold his sides, and then wipe his eyes.
"I hope not so bad as that," said the major, when he had called
_Attention_! "It is, however, I fear our only hope. Will some man
among you speak?"
There was a shuffling and a whispering at this, and every man nudged his
neighbour to begin, but no one spoke till the sergeant felt that it was
his duty, and going along the front of both ranks he had a few words
with the soldiers and the jacks. After this he retook his place and
saluted.
"Men seem to be all of one opinion, sir," he said gruffly.
"And what is that opinion?" inquired the major.
"They say, sir, as I say, that they wouldn't like their mates to desert
them in a time of trouble like this."
"That's right, sergeant," shouted a sailor.
"Yes, that's a true word," shouted another.
"Attention, there!" cried the major, sharply. "Go on, sergeant."
"And if so be as our officer don't order us different, we'll all stick
to one another, sick and sound, to the end."
"Hear, hear; hurray!" cried the men, as with one voice.
"Do I understand, my lads, that you will stand by the sick and wounded
to the last?"
"Yes, sir, all on us!" shouted the men in chorus.
"Yes, sir," cried the joking sailor, "and we'll all carry one another
till there's only one left as can carry; and he'll have a jolly hard
time of it, that's all."
The stern discipline was for a moment forgotten, and a hearty roar of
laughter followed this sally.
"Attention!" cried the major after a few moments, and he spoke as if he
was deeply moved. "It is only what I expected from my brave lads; and I
may tell you now that this is what Doctor Bolter and I had determined to
do--stand together to the last."
"Only we won't have any last, my lads," cried the doctor.
"I hope not," said the major. "We'll go on more slowly and take longer
rests, for I must have no more of you men down with sickness. Let us
hope that we may win our way safely to the ship and the island yet. I
would send out a little party to try and fetch help, but I fear they are
beset at the residency already, and I do not think a detachment could
succeed. I propose then that we all hold together and do our best."
"That we will, sir," cried the men, and a voice proposed three cheers
for the major.
These were hardly given before he held up his hand, and in a few words
thanked them, while the doctor was called away.
"And now, my lads, we will go forward once more, and do the best we can.
If we can only get a mile a day it is something, and every man will
lend a hand. We will march at once. Yes, doctor? More bad news?"
"Yes," said Doctor Bolter, bluntly; "our guide has broken down."
"Broken down?"
"Yes, he is quite delirious."
"And," muttered the major, "we are worse than helpless without a guide."