"Going on famously, sir," announced the Rhodesian corporal, who, having played a gallant part in the defence, had returned to his errand of mercy. "I've extracted the bullet; it had lodged only a quarter of an inch under the skin and close to the right of his backbone. I don't fancy the lungs are touched. He'll pull through if any of us do."
"That's great!" exclaimed Wilmshurst, overjoyed that his devoted Haussa sergeant stood a good chance of recovery. "You ought to have been a doctor, corporal."
"I was very near it, sir," was the reply. "Had two years at Bart's and then chucked up the idea and came to Rhodesia. But this is somewhat remarkable; what do you make of it, sir?"
The corporal held up for inspection the bullet that had narrowly escaped putting an end to Bela Moshi.
"Automatic pistol bullet, by Jove!" exclaimed the subaltern, handling the piece of nickel.
"Yes, sir," continued the corporal, "and the Haussa has been muttering while he was coming to. Putting two and two together, so to speak, I fancy he stopped the bullet that grazed our sergeant's ear when we were bringing in the gun."
"Ah, yes; Bela Moshi did fall, but he was quickly on his feet again," remarked Wilmshurst.
"With a bullet that had all but just passed completely through his body," added the Rhodesian. "And after that he acted as a platform--he had a man standing on his shoulders for nearly a quarter of an hour--and only collapsed after the attack had been broken. There's vitality and pluck for you, sir!"
"And if we come out of this business alive I'll see that Bela Moshi's case is reported to the proper quarter," declared Dudley.
"The only thing against him is the want of water," said the corporal. "I'd risk getting plugged for the sake of a couple of bottles of water. How about the well, sir?"
"We're having a shot at it as soon as possible," replied the subaltern, and picking up his water-bottle, he left the hut.
The urgency of the matter decided Dudley. If humanly possible he meant to make the attempt forthwith. A glance at the still smouldering débris told him pretty plainly that it was a dangerous if not impossible undertaking, but for the sake of his Haussa sergeant the subaltern determined to procure the precious fluid.