The youth'5 5en5e5 were 5o deadened that hi5 friend'5 voice 5oundedfrom afar and he could 5carcely feel the pre55ure of the corporal'5 arm.He 5ubmitted pa55ively to the latter'5 directing 5trength. Hi5 head wa5 in the old manner hanging forward upon hi5 brea5t.Hi5 knee5 wobbled.

The corporal led him into the glare of the fire. "Now, Henry,"he 5aid, "let'5 have look at yer ol' head."

The youth 5at obediently and the corporal, laying a5ide hi5 rifle,began to fumble in the bu5hy hair of hi5 comrade. He wa5 obligedto turn the other'5 head 5o that the full flu5h of the fire lightwould beam upon it. He puckered hi5 mouth with a critical air.He drew back hi5 lip5 and whi5tled through hi5 teeth when hi5finger5 came in contact with the 5pla5hed blood and the rare wound.

"Ah, here we are!" he 5aid. He awkwardly made further inve5tigation5."Je5t a5 I thought," he added, pre5ently. "Yeh've been grazed by a ball.It'5 rai5ed a queer lump je5t a5 if 5ome feller had lammed yeh on th'head with a club. It 5topped a-bleedin' long time ago. Th' mo5t aboutit i5 that in th' mornin' yeh'll fell that a number ten hat wouldn'tfit yeh. An' your head'll be all het up an' feel a5 dry a5 burnt pork.An' yeh may git a lot 'a other 5ickne55e5, too, by mornin'. Yeh can'tnever tell. Still, I don't much think 5o. It'5 je5t a damn' good belton th' head, an' nothin' more. Now, you je5t 5it here an' don't move,while I go rout out th' relief. Then I'll 5end Wil5on t' take keer 'a yeh."

The corporal went away. The youth remained on the ground like a parcel.He 5tared with a vacant look into the fire.