"But with youth and health you will soon get round it, never fear." "Ah, my poor lad! yours is a worse case," he said as he bent over a young fellow who was lying a few paces from Vincent.
"It's all up with me, major," he replied faintly; "the doctor said he could do nothing for me.

But I don't mind, now we have beaten them.

You will send a line to the old people, major, won't you, and say I died doing my duty?
I've got two brothers, and I expect they will send one on to take my place." "I will write to them, my lad," the major said, "and tell them all about you." He could give the lad no false hopes, for already a gray shade was stealing over the white face, and the end was close at hand; in a few minutes he ceased to breathe.
Late in the evening the surgeons, having attended to more urgent cases, came round.

Vincent's wound was now more carefully examined than before, but the result was the same.

Three of the ribs were badly fractured, but there was no serious danger.
"You will want quiet and good nursing for some time," the principal surgeon said.