“First-classplace，SimlaOh，ri-ippmg！”saidBobbyWick，andorderednewwhitecordbreechesonthestrengthofit。
“We’reinahadway。”wroteReveretoBobbyattheendoftwomonths“Sinceyouleft，theRegimenthastakentofeverandisfairlyrottenwithit-twohundredinhospital，aboutahundredincells-drinkingtokeepofffever-andtheCompaniesonparadefifteenfilestrongattheoutside。
There’srathermoresicknessintheout-villagesthanIcarefor，hutthenI’msoblisteredwithErickly-heatthatI’meadytohangmy-
selfWhat’stheyarnaboutyourmashingaMissHaverleyupthere？Notserious，Ihope？You’reover~youngtohangmillstonesroundyourneck，andtheColonelwillturfyououtofthatindouble-quicktimeifyouattemptit。”
ItwasnottheColonelthatbroughtBobbyoutofSimla，butamuchmoretoberespectedCommandantThesicknessintheout-villagesspr~ad，theBazarwasputoutofbounds，andthencamethenewsthattheTailTwistersmustgointocampThemessageflashedtotheHillstations-“Cbolera~Leavestopped-Officersrecalled。”Alas，forthewhiteglovesintheneatlysolderedboxes，theridesandthedancesandpicnicsthatweretohe，theloveshalfspoken，andthedebtsunpaid！Withoutdemurandwithoutquestion，fastastonguecouldflyorponygallop，hacktotheirRegimentsandtheirBatteries，asthoughtheywerehasteningtotheirweddings，fledthesubalterns。
BobbyreceivedhisordersonreturningfromadanceatViceregalLodgewherehehad-butonlytheHaverleygirlknowswhatBobbyhadsaidorhowmanywaltzeshehadclaimedforthenextballSixinthemorningsawBobbyattheTongaOfficeinthedrenchmgrain，thewhirlofthelastwaltzstillinhisears，andanintoxicationdueneithertowinenorwaltzinginhisbrain。
“Goodman！”shoutedDeightonoftheHorseBattery，throughthemists“Wharyouraisedattonga？I’mcomingwithyouOw！ButI’vehadaheadandahalf。
Ididn’tsitoutallnightTheysaytheBattery’sawfulbad。”andhehummeddolorously-
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’~eavethewhatatthewhat’s-its-name，Leavetheflockwithoutshelter，Leavethecorpseuninterred，Leavethebrideatthealtar！
“Myfaith！It’llbemoreballycorpsethanbride，though，thisjourneyJumpin，BobbyGeton，Coachwanl“
OntheUmballaplatformwaitedadetachmentofofficersdiscussingthelatestnewsfromthestrickencantonment，anditwasherethatBobbylearnedtherealconditionoftheTail’渨isters。
“Theywentintocamp。”saidanelderlyMajorrecalledfromthewhist-tablesatMussoorietoasicklyNativeRegiment，“theywentintocampwithtwohundredandtensickincartsTwohundredandtenfevercasesonly，andthebalancelookinglikesomanyghostswithsoreeyesA
MadrasRegimentcouldhavewalkedthrough’em。”
“Buttheywereasfitashe-damnedwhenIleftthem！”saidBobby。
“Thenyou’dbettermakethemasfitasbe-damnedwhenyourejoin。”saidtheMajor，brutally。
Bobbypressedhisforeheadagainsttherain-splashedwindowpaneasthetrainlumberedacrossthesoddenDoab，andprayedforthehealthoftheTynesideTailTwistersNainiTalhadsentdownhercontingentwithallspeed；thelatheringponiesoftheDalhousieRoadstaggeredintoPathankot，taxedtothefullstretchoftheirstrength；whilefromcloudyDarjilingtheCalcuttaMailwhirledupthelaststragglerofthelittlearmythatwastofightafight，ipwhichwasneithermedalnorhonorforthewinning，againstanenemynoneotherthan“thesicknessthatdestroyethinthenoonday。”
Andaseachmanreportedhimself，hesaid：“Thisisabadbusiness。”andwentabouthisownforthwith，foreveryRegimentandBatteryinthecantonmentwasundercanvas，thesicknessbearingthemcompany。
BobbyfoughthiswaythroughtheraintotheTailTwisters’
temporarymess，andReverecouldhavefallenontheboy’sneckforthejoyofseeingthatugly，wholesomephixoncemore。
“Keep’emamusedandinterested。”saidRevere“Theywentonthedrink，poorfools，afterthefirsttwocases，andtherewasnoimprovementOh，it’sgoodtohaveyouback，Bobby！Porkissisa-nevermind。”
DeightoncameoverfromtheArtillerycamptoattendadrearymessdinner，andcontributedtothegeneralgloombynearlyweepingovertheconditionofhisbelovedBatteryPorkisssofarforgoth！mselfastoinsinuatethatthepresenceoftheofficerscoulddonoearthlygood，andthatthebestthingwouldbetosendtheentireRegimentintohospitaland“letthedoctorslookafterthem。”Porkisswasdemoralizedwithfear，norwashispeaceofmindrestoredwhenReveresaidcoldly：
“Oh！Thesooneryougooutthebetter，ifthat’syourwayofthinkingAnypublicschoolcouldsendusfiftygoodmeninyourplace，butittakestime，time，Porkiss，andmoney，andacertainamountoftrouble，tomakeaRegiment’S’poseyou’rethepersonwegointocampfor，eh？”
WhereuponPorkisswasovertakenwithagreatandchillyfearwhichadrenchingintheraindidnotallay，and，twodayslater，quittedthisworldforanotherwhere，mendofondlyhope，238
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allowancesaremadefortheweaknessesofthefleshTheRegimentalSergeant-MajorlookedwearilyacrosstheSergeants’Messtentwhenthenewswasannounced。
“Theregoestheworstofthem。”hesaid“It’lltakethebest，andthen，pleaseGod，it’llstop。”TheSergeantsweresilenttillonesaid：“Itcouldn’tbehim！”andallknewofwhomTraviswasthinking。
BobbyWickstormedthroughthetentsofhisCompany，rallying，rebukingmildly，asisconsistentwiththeRegulations，chaffingthefaint-hearted：
halingthesoundintothewaterysunlightwhentherewasabreakintheweather，andbiddingthembeofgoodcheerfortheirtroublewasnearlyatanend；
scuttlingonhisdunponyroundtheoutskirtsofthecampandheadingbackmenwho，withtheinnateperversityofBritishsoldier’s，werealwayswanderingintoinfectedvillages，ordrinkingdeeplyfromrain-floodedmarshes；
comfortingthepanic-strickenwithrudespeech，andmorethanoncetendingthedyingwhohadnofriends-themenwithout“townies“；organizing，withbanjosandburnedcork，Sing-songswhichshouldallowthetalentoftheRegimentfullplay；andgenerally，asheexplained，“~ayingthegiddygarden-goatallround。”
“You’reworthhalfadozenofus，Bobby。”saidRevereinamomentofenthusiasm“Howthedevildoyoukeepitup？”
Bobbymadenoanswer，buthadReverelookedintothebreast-pocketof~scoathemighthaveseenthereasheafofbadly-writtenletterswhichperhapsaccountedforthepowerthatp05-
sessedtheboyAlettercametoBobb~everyotherdayThespellingwasnotabovereproach，butthesentimentsmusthavebeenmostsatisfactory，foronreceiptBobby’seyessoftenedmarvelously，andhewaswonttofallintoatenderabstractionforawhileere，shakinghiscroppedhead，hechargedintohiswork。
Bywhatpowerhedrewafterhimtheheartsoftheroughest，andtheTailTwisterscountedintheirrankssomeroughdiamondsindeed，wasamysterytobothskipperandC0。，wholearnedfromtheregimentalchaplainthatBobbywasconsiderablymoreinrequestinthehospitaltentsthantheReverendJohnEmery。
“ThemenseemfondofyouAreyouinthehospitalsmuch？”saidtheColonel，whodidhisdail}
roundandorderedthementogetwellwithahardnessthatdidnotcoverhisbittergrief。
“Alittle，sir。”saidBobby。
“Shouldn’tgotheretoooftenifIwereyouTheysayit’snotcontagious，butthere’snouseinrunningunnecessaryrisksWecan’taffordtohaveyoudown，y’know。”
Sixdayslater，itwaswiththeutmostdifficultythatthepost-runnerplashedhiswayouttothecampwithmailbags，fortherainwasfallingintorrentsBobbyreceivedaletter，boreitofftohistent，and，theprogrammeforthenextweek’sSing-songbeingsatisfactorilydisposedof，satdowntoansweritForanhourtheunhandypentoiledoverthepaper，andwheresentimentrosetomorethannormaltide-levelBobbyWickstuckouthistongueandbreathedheavilyHewasnotusedtoletter-writing。
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“Begy’pardon，sir。”saidavoiceatthetentdoor；“butDormer’s’orridbad，sir，an’they’vetakenhimorf，sir。
“DamnPrivateDormerandyoutoo！”saidBobbyWickrunningtheblotteroverthehalf-finishedletter“TellhimI’llcomeinthemorning。”
’E’sawfulbad，sir。”saidthevoice，hesitatinglyTherewasanundecidedsquelchingofheavyboots。
“Well？”saidBobby，impatiently。
“Excusin’’imselfbeforean’fortakin’theliberty，’esaysitwouldbeacomfortfortoassist’im，sir，if“-“Tattoolao！Getmypony！Here，comeinoutoftheraintillI’mready’Vhatblastednuisancesyouare！That’sbrandyDrinksome；youwantitHangontomystirrupandtellmeifI
gomofast。”
Strengthenedbyafour-finger“nip“whichheswallowedwithoutawink，theHospitalOrderlykeptupwiththeslipping，mud-stained，andverydisgustedponyasitshambledtothehospitaltent。
PrivateDormerwascertainly“’orridbad。”Hehadallbutreachedthestageofcollapseandwasnotpleasanttolookupon。
“What’sthis，Dormer？”saidBobby，bendingovertheman“You’renotgoingoutthistime。
You’vegottocomefishin~withmeonceortwicemoreyet。”
Thebluelipspartedandintheghostofawhispersaid，-“Begy’pardon，sir，disturbin’ofyounow，butwouldyoumm’’oldin’my’and，sir？”
Bobbysatonthesideofthebed，andtheicycoldhandclosedonhisownlikeavice，forcingalady’sringwhichwasonthelittlefingerde~pintothefleshBobbySethislipsandwaited，thewaterdrippingfromthehemofhistrousersAnhourpassedandthegraspofthehanddidnotrelax，nordidtheexpressiononthedrawnfacechange。
Bobbywithinfinitecraftlithimselfacherootwiththelefthand，hisrightarmwasnumbedtotheelbow，andresignedhimselftoanightofpain。
Dawnshowedaverywhite-facedSubalternsittingonthesideofasickman’scot，andaDoctorinthedoorwayusinglanguageunfitforpublication。
“Haveyoubeenhereallnight，youyoungass？”saidtheDoctor。
“Thereorthereabouts。”saidBobby，ruefully“He’sfrozenontome。”
Dormer’smouthshutwithaclickHeturnedhisheadandsighed。
Theclingingbandopened，andBobby’sarmfelluselessathisside。
“He’lldo。”saidtheDoctor，quietly“Itmusthavebeenato~s-upallthrougbthenight’Thinkyou’retobecongratulatedonthiscase。”
“Oh，bosh！”saidBobby“Ithoughtthemanhadgoneoutlongag~onlyonlyIdidn’tcaretotakemyhandawayRubmyarmdown，there’sagoodchapWhatagripthebrutehas！I’mchilledtothemarrow！”Hepassedoutofthetentshivering。
PrivateDormerwasallowedtocelebratehisrepulseofDeathbystrongwatersFourdayslater，hesatonthesideofhiscotandsaidtothepatientsmildly：“I’d’a’
likento’a’spokento’im-soI
should。”
ButatthattimeBobbywasreadingyetanotherletter-hehadthemostpersistentcorrespondentofanymanincamp~andwaseventhenabouttowritethatthesicknesshadabatedandin240
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anotherweekattheoutsidewouldbegoneHedidnotintendtosaythatthechillofasickman’shandseemedtonavestruckintotheheartwhosecapacitiesforaffectionhedweltonatsuchlengthHedidintendtoenclosetheillustratedprogrammeoftheforthcomingSing-songwhereofhewasnotalittleproudHealsointendedtowriteonmanyothermatterswhichdonotconcernus，anddoubtlesswouldhavedonesobutfortheslightfeverishheadachewhichmadehimdullandunresponsiveatmess。
“Youareoverdoingit，Bobby。”saidhisskipper“’MightgivetherestofuscreditofdoingalittleworkYougoonasifyouwerethewholeMessrolledintooneTakeiteasy。”
“Iwill。”saidBobby“I’mfeelingdoneup，somehow。”Reverelookedathimanxiouslyandsaidnothing。
Therewasaflickeringoflanternsab3utthecampthatnight，andarumorthatbroughtmenoutoftheircotstothetentdoors，apaddlingofthenakedfeetofdoolie-bearersandtherushofagallopinghorse。
“Wot’sup？”askedtwentytents；andthroughtwentytentsrantheanswer-“Wick，’e’sdown。”