"
"Who told the Doctor about it?" Farquharson asked. "If he got it
from Bathurst, I don't think it goes for much after what we have
seen."
Wilson would have replied angrily, but Captain Doolan put his hand
on his shoulder.
"Shut up, Wilson," he said; "this is no time for disputes; we are
all in one boat here, and must row together like brothers. You go
your own way about Bathurst, I don't blame you for it; he is a man
everyone has liked, a first rate official, and a good fellow all
round, except he is not one of the sociable kind. At any other time
one would not think so much of this, but at present for a man to
lack courage is for him to lack everything. I hope he will come
better out of it than it looks at present. He will have plenty of
chances here, and no one will be more glad than I shall to see him
pull himself together."
The Doctor, however, would have quarreled with everyone all round
when he heard what had been decided upon, had not Major Hannay
taken him aside and talked to him strongly.
"It will never do, Doctor, to have quarrels here, and as commandant
I must beg of you not to make this a personal matter. I am very
sorry for this poor fellow; I accept entirely your view of the
matter; but at the same time I really can't blame the others for
looking at it from a matter of fact point of view. Want of courage is
at all times regarded by men as the most unpardonable of failings,
and at a time like the present this feeling is naturally far stronger
even than usual.
Pages:
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297