A ring of the searchers came to a halt around the Major and
Ben Jope, and Ben, catching sight of his companion's face, let out
another yell.
"It's all right." The Major clutched him by the arm and turned.
"It's all right, my good people. He can walk, you see. I'll take
him along to the hospital."
He managed to reassure them, and they passed on. He slipped an arm
under Ben's and led him away into the darkness.
"But I seen you blowed into air, ten years ago, _with_ these very
eyes," persisted Ben.
"And with these very eyes I saw you blown into air ten minutes ago;
and yet we're both alive," the Major assured him.
"An' I come here o' purpose to look up your ha'nts, havin' been
always pretty curious about that tale o' your'n, but kep' moderate
busy all these years."
"And Bill Adams?"
"Wot?" Mr. Jope halted. "Haven't you 'eard? Bill's dead.
Drink done it--comin' upon it too 'asty. Simmons's boarding-house,
Plymouth, that's where it was. _Quite_ a decent house, an' the
proprietor behaved very well about it, I will say. But where on
earth have you been hidin' all these years, that you never heard
about Bill?"
"In a French war prison, Ben. And, Ben, you found me a berth once,
you remember. I wonder if you could get me into another?"
"O' course I can," Mr. Jope answered cheerily. "You come along o' me
to Plymouth an' I'll put you into the very job.
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