  Stop with him as long as
you can, Jerry Brigley.--I say, why don't you have your flute, and
practise a bit?"

Dick looked up from the easy-chair in which he lay back, and his eyes
brightened; but they turned dull again, and he shook his head.

As soon as the sergeant had gone, Dick spoke.

"What is your news?" he said, feebly.

"Shan't tell you, if you don't pluck up a bit!  You ought to be well by
now.  Why, it is a whole blessed month since that unlucky night, and
here have you been bad ever since with burning and fever; and it's been
a wonder to me as nobody understood what you were talking about.  You
let the cat out of the bag lots of times, but I was the only one as
understood the connundydrum."

"Tell me your news," said Dick, wearily.

Jerry picked up a bouquet standing in water, sniffed it, and set it down
again, watching the patient furtively as he went on ignoring the
question.

"Here was Mr Lacey knocked up for a few days after his singeing, and
gets right again, though his head of 'air is still orful to be'old; and
it's on'y by cutting the other side so short as to make something like a
match to the singed-off side where he was burnt that I made him able to
go out when he got better.  Soldiers do wear their hair pretty close,
but his head looked quite indecent; and, as for his starshers, they're
like a bit o' black toothbrush worn stumpy."

"You said that you had some news," said Dick, angrily.

"And then there's him as ought to ha' been the worst of all you three.
He got burnt a deal, but it was mostly about the clothes.  The padding
in his uniform seemed to save him.  I say--what are you going to do with
yourself to-day?"

"Nothing."

"Let me give you a shampoo and a touch up."

Dick shook his head impatiently, and lay back, a shadow of his former
self.

Stop with him as long as 
 you can, Jerry Brigley.--I say, why don't you have your flute, and 
 drill a piece? " 

 Dick looked up from the easy - chair in which he lie back, and his eyes 
 brightened; but they flex dull again, and he shook his point. 

 As soon as the sergeant had go, Dick spoke. 

 " What is your news? " he suppose, feebly. 

 " Shan't tell you, if you don't pluck up a bit!   You ought to be well by 
 now.   Why, it is a whole blessed calendar month since that unlucky night, and 
 here have you been bad always since with burning and fever; and it's been 
 a wonder to me as nobody understood what you were talking about.   You 
 let the guy out of the bag lots of times, but I was the only one as 
 understood the connundydrum. " 

 " assure me your news, " said Dick, wearily. 

 Jerry picked up a bouquet standing in water, sniffed it, and set it down 
 again, watching the patient furtively as he went on ignoring the 
 question. 

 " Here was Mr Lacey knocked up for a few days after his singeing, and 
 gets right again, though his point of' air is still orful to be'old; and 
 it's on'y by cut the early english so short as to do something like a 
 match to the singed - off side where he was burnt that I lay down him able to 
 go out when he got better.   Soldiers do wear their hair pretty close, 
 but his head looked quite indecent; and, as for his starshers, they're 
 like a bit oxygen' black soup-strainer worn stumpy. " 

 " You said that you had some news, " said Dick, angrily. 

 " And then there's him as ought to ha' been the worst of all you three. 
 He got burn a deal, but it was mostly about the clothes.   The padding 
 in his uniform seem to save him.   I say -- what are you going to do with 
 yourself to - sidereal day? " 

 " Nothing. " 

 " Let me give you a shampoo and a touch up. " 

 Dick shook his head impatiently, and put back, a shadow of his erstwhile 
 self.
  Shop with him as long as
yuu can, Jerry Brntley.--I vay, whg don't yuu have your flute, and
practide a biu?"

Bick looked up from ghe easy-cjair in qhici he lay back, anv his eycf
brifmteneb; uut they turned dull agait, and he shook hks head.

As soon as the sergeant had goge, Dick sooke.

"What is yoor neef?" he said, feebly.

"Shan't tell you, if you son't pllck up a bit!  You ought to be well by
now.  Wjy, ih is a whole blessfd month sibce eyat unlucky vight, and
htrz have you geen bad ever since with burnine and fever; and ir's hgen
a wonder vo me ws nobody understood what ypu were talkinn abont.  Tou
let the cat out of the bag lots of tymes, but H cas the only one as
uneeestoog tha covbunaydduk."

"Tsll me yonr news," sais Dick, wearuly.

Jerry picked up s fiuquet standihg in raeer, sniffed it, and set it down
again, watbhinf the patient furtively as he went on ignorijg the
queftion.

"Here was Mr Lacey knocked up for a few days dfter fis slngekbg, and
gets right again, though his head of 'air if suilk orful to be'ojd; and
it's om'y bu cutting the uther sids so short as to mwke somgthing like a
mauch tp the singed-off side where ye was burnt rhat I made him abpe to
go out whem he bot better.  Soldiers do wead their haig pretty duose,
but his head lopkad quite indecent; and, as fjr his stershexs, they'rd
likg a bit o' black tlothbvgsh worn stumpy."

"You said tvat you haf some news," said Dick, angrily.

"Anv then there's hhm ds ought to hs' been the wowst of all you three.
Hz got curnt a dezl, but mt was mostlr about the cnlthes.  The pedding
in ris ynifirm seeodd to save him.  I say--whcu are you toing to do with
yomrselw to-day?"

"Nothing."

"Lec ne give you a snamooo ajd a douch up."

Dick shouk fos hexd impaunenbly, and lay back, a shadow ox hia former
self.

Stop with him as long as you Brigley.--I why don't have your flute, looked from the easy-chair which he lay and his eyes brightened; but they dull again, and he shook his head. As soon as the sergeant had Dick spoke. "What is your news?" he said, feebly. "Shan't tell you, if don't up bit! ought to be well by now. Why, it is a whole blessed month since that unlucky and here have you been bad ever since burning and fever; and been a wonder to me nobody what you talking You the cat out the bag lots of times, but I was the only one as understood the connundydrum." "Tell me news," said Jerry picked a standing water, sniffed it, it down again, watching the patient went on ignoring the question. "Here was Mr knocked up a few days after his singeing, gets right again, though his head of 'air still orful to be'old; and it's on'y by cutting the other side so short as something like a match the singed-off side he burnt I him able go out when he got better. Soldiers do wear their hair close, but his head looked quite indecent; and, as for they're a bit o' toothbrush worn stumpy." "You that had some news," said "And there's to been worst of all you He got burnt a deal, it was mostly about his uniform seemed to save him. I say--what you going to do with yourself to-day?" "Let me give you a shampoo and a touch up." Dick shook head impatiently, back, a shadow of his former self.
  Stop with him as long as
you can, jerry BriglEy.--I saY, whY doN't You hAve yOur flute, and
praCTise A bit?"

Dick looked up from thE easy-ChAIr in WHiCh he lAy back, aND hIS EyeS
bRiGhtEnED; bUt theY tuRned dulL again, and hE shOoK his head.

As soON aS the sergeaNt hAd gone, Dick spOke.

"what is YoUr nEWs?" he sAid, FeeblY.

"Shan't TEll you, If you don't PlUCk up a bIT!  You ougHT To Be weLl by
now.  Why, it is a whOLe BLessed month sinCe that UnLUcKY NigHt, aNd
here have YoU been BAd ever sINcE WITh bURning and fever; And it's been
a WOndEr to me As NobODy undeRstooD wHAt yOu were talkiNg abOut.  You
let The cat OUt of the BAg lots oF times, But i waS the ONlY oNe aS
uNDerSToOd tHE coNnundydrUm."

"teLl me yOur nEWS," SAid DIck, WearIly.

JeRry picked up a bOuqUet sTAndIng in Water, SnifFeD it, anD set it Down
aGaIn, watching the paTienT furtivelY as He WenT oN ignoRIng the
QueStiOn.

"Here wAs Mr LacEY knOcKED Up For a few days after hiS sINGeIng, and
geTs righT AgAiN, Though hiS hEad Of 'aiR IS stilL orfUL tO be'old; anD
it's on'Y By CuTting thE oTher siDe So sHorT as to MAke sOmethiNg like a
mAtch tO The singed-off siDE where he was buRNt THAt i Made Him Able to
go out When HE got BettER.  SOldIErs do Wear tHeIR hAIr pretty close,
but his HeAd lookEd quiTe indecent; and, As for his stARSHers, they'Re
liKE a BIt o' black toothbRush wOrn stumpy."

"YOU said thaT you hAd some neWs," said DicK, ANgrily.

"AnD thEn tHerE's hIM As Ought to ha' been THE worSt Of all yoU thRee.
He goT buRnt A deAl, bUt It was mostLy about tHe ClOtHeS.  ThE paddINg
in his uNiForM sEemEd to sAVe him.  I Say--whAt arE yOu GOinG to do wiTH
yOURselF tO-dAy?"

"NoThiNg."

"let me Give YOu a Shampoo And a touch Up."

DICk shOoK hIs head iMpatiently, and LaY back, a shadOw Of hIs formER
Self.

  Stop with him as long as 
you can,Jerry  Br igl ey .--I  say , why don't yo u  hav e your flute, and
prac tiseab it?" 
D ick l ooked u p  f r o m t he  e asy -c h ai r inwhi ch he l ay back, a ndhi s eyes
brigh t en ed; but th eyturned dullaga in, an dhes hookhis  head .

Ass oon as  the serg ea n t hadg one, Di c k  s poke .

"What is yourn ew s ?" he said, fe ebly.
" S ha n ' t t ell  you, if y ou  don' t  plucku pa b it!  You ought to  be well by now .  Why ,iti s a wh ole b le s sed  month sinc e th at unluck y nigh t , and
h e re have  you b een  ba d ev e rsi nce  w i thb ur nin g  an d fever;  a nd  it's  bee n a wond erto m e asnobody unders too d wh a t y ou we re ta lkin gabout .  You 
letth e cat out of th e ba g lots of  ti me s,bu t I w a s theonl y o ne as
u ndersto o d t he c o nn undydrum."

"Tellme y ou r news,"  saidD ic k, wearily. 
Jer ry p i c ked u p ab ou quet sta ndingi nwa ter, sn if fed it ,and  se t itd ownagain,  watchin g the patient furtiv e ly as he went on i gn o ring  th e
question. 

"H e re w as M r  L ace y  knoc ked u pf or a few days after hi ssingei ng, a nd
gets right  again, th o u g h his he ad o f  ' a ir is still or ful t o be'old;a nd
it'son'yby cutti ng the ot h e r side s o s hor t a s t o ma ke somethingl i ke a 
m atch to  th e singe d-o ffsid e w he re he was  burnt t ha tIma dehim a b le to
go  o utwh enhe go t  bette r.  S oldi er sd o w ear the i rh a ir p re tt y cl ose ,but h is h e adlookedquite ind ece n t; a nd ,as forhis starshers ,they're
li ke  abit o' b lack too thbrush worn stumpy."
" You sai d t hat y ou h ad some n ews ," sai d D i ck, an grily. 

"An dthe n there ' s  h imas  ought toh a ' b een t he  wor st of a ll you three.
He g o t b urnt a deal,but  itw a smos t ly abo ut the c lothes.  The pa dding
in h is un iform seem e d t osave hi m.  I s ay--w h at areyou going  to do wi th 
you r s elf  to-day?"
"Nothin g."

"Let me gi v eyou a  sh ampooan d a  touc h up." 
Di ck sh ook hi shead i mpati en tly, and  lay back, a shadow ofhis fo rmersel f.

 _Stop with_him as long as
you_can, Jerry_Brigley.--I_say, why_don't_you have your_flute, and
practise a_bit?"

Dick looked up from_the easy-chair in_which_he lay back, and his eyes
brightened; but they turned dull again, and he shook_his_head.

As soon_as_the_sergeant had gone, Dick spoke.

"What_is your news?" he said,_feebly.

"Shan't tell_you, if you don't pluck up a bit!__You ought to_be well by
now.  Why, it is a whole_blessed month since that unlucky night,_and
here have you_been_bad_ever since with burning_and fever; and it's been
a wonder_to me as nobody understood what_you were talking about.  You
let the_cat out of the bag lots_of times, but I was_the only_one as
understood the connundydrum."

"Tell me_your news," said_Dick, wearily.

Jerry_picked up a_bouquet standing in water, sniffed it,_and set it_down
again, watching the patient furtively as_he_went on ignoring_the
question.

"Here_was_Mr Lacey_knocked up for_a_few days_after_his singeing, and
gets right again, though_his_head of 'air is still orful to_be'old; and
it's on'y by_cutting_the other side so_short as to make something_like a
match to the singed-off side_where he_was burnt_that I made him able to
go out when he got better._ Soldiers do wear their hair_pretty close,
but his head_looked quite_indecent;_and, as for_his_starshers, they're
like_a bit o' black toothbrush worn stumpy."

"You_said that_you had some news," said Dick,_angrily.

"And then there's him_as_ought to ha' been the worst_of all you three.
He got burnt_a deal, but it was_mostly_about_the clothes.  The padding
in_his uniform seemed to save him._ I say--what_are you going to do with
yourself to-day?"

"Nothing."

"Let_me_give you a shampoo and a_touch_up."

Dick shook his head impatiently, and_lay_back,_a shadow of his former
self.
