“Because once it was ‘mother’ he called, and again—­just now—­I thought he said mother.”

The lieutenant turned, looking straight at his soldierly subordinate.

“By Jove!  Patterson, so did I.”

There was a little stir across the canon.  Moreno was edging about uneasily and beginning to mutter blasphemy at his bonds.

“That fellow begged very hard to be moved down into that wolf-hole of a place where the Mexican women are, lieutenant, with those two bunged-up bandits to take care of.  Nice time we’d have, sir, if the three of them was able to move.  The boys’d make short work of them now, the way they’re feeling.  I went in and took a look at those two fellows.  One of ’em is a goner, sure, but they’re dead game, both of ’em.  Neither one has a word to say.”

“No,” answered Drummond, “they refused to give their names to me,—­said it was no earthly consequence what name we put over their graves, the right set of fellows would be along after a while and do them all the honor they cared for.  How were the Moreno women behaving?”

“The girl was asleep, I should judge, sir.  The old hag was rocking to and fro, crooning to herself until one of the two—­the live one, I should call him—­hurled a curse at her in Spanish and told her to dry up or he’d kill her.  All a bluff, for he can’t move a peg.”

“Watch them well, Patterson, all the same.  Hush!”

Again from within the deep shelter of the rocky cave came the low moan of anguish,—­

“Mother! mother! if you knew—­”

“Here, Patterson, I can’t stand this.  I’m going in to him.”  And, picking up the dim lantern which he had taken from the Harvey wagon, Drummond stole in on tiptoe and knelt again beside his wounded comrade.

“Wing! sergeant!  Look up, man.  Speak to me.  You must be in distress, mental or bodily.  Do let me help you in some way.”

For a moment no reply whatever.  Wing’s face was hidden.  Then he looked gently upward.

“Lieutenant, I’m ashamed to be giving you so much trouble.  Please go and lie down again, sir; you’re worse hurt than I am,—­only I suppose I get to dozing off and then turn on that side.”

“No, it isn’t that, sergeant.  There’s something wrong, and it has all come on you since yesterday morning.  Where is your mother?”

Again Wing turned away, burying his face in his arms.

“Listen, sergeant; we hope to get you out of this by to-night.  Dr. Gray ought surely to reach us by that time, and while we may have to keep up a field hospital here a day or two, my first duty will be to write and tell your mother how bravely you have served us, and she shall be told that you are wounded, but not in such a way as to alarm her.”

Out came a restraining hand.

“Lieutenant, she must not know at all.”