went in to report to his commander. Drummond barely lifted his eyes
from the pallid features before him.

"Unsaddle, sergeant; rub down; pick out the best and likeliest horses.
I want twenty men to go on a chase with me. How soon can the packs get
up?"

"They must be fully half an hour behind, sir."

"Sorry for that, sergeant. We've got to take at least four of them;
load them up with barley, bacon, hardtack, ammunition. Kick off
everything else. We'll feed and water here before starting, then we've
got to ride like the devil. Send Trooper Bland here as soon as he has
unsaddled. I want him to ride with me. He knows all the roads to the
south."

Meinecke saluted in his methodical German fashion, turned away, and
presently could be heard ordering "Unsaddle" and then shouting for
Private Bland.

"Are there any of our men besides the farrier who have any knowledge
of surgery?" asked the lieutenant of Sergeant Lee.

"They say Bland has, sir. I don't know any one else."

"Well, I've just sent for him. Mr. Harvey here doesn't seem to be
wounded, yet it's impossible to bring him to. Give Woods a little more
whiskey and see if you can get a word out of the major or Feeny."

But efforts with the half-suffocated men had no effect. The whiskey