I shall attend to their cases.
Fill their places from the volunteer list. Be so good as to send
the head steward here immediately."
"I'm very sorry, Sir," said the steward, "but ye see it's just
this way. The mess-boys was holdin' a New Era mass-meetin', and
the cook he forgot--"
"Milk and beef-tea!" growled the Commandant as if they were
swear-words. "What the devil is this new influenza that has struck
the hospital? Steward, you will provide what the head nurse requires
at once. Orderly, my cap, and call Mr. Greel to accompany me on
inspection."
In the galley the fires were out, the ovens cold, the soup-kettles
empty, and all the cooks, dish-washers, and scrubbers were absorbing
the eloquence of the third assistant pie-maker, who stood on an
empty biscuit-box and explained the glories of the one-hour day in
the New Era.
'"Ten_shun!_" yelled the Orderly, and the force of habit
brought the men up, stiff and silent. The Commandant looked around
the circle, grinning.
"My word!" he cried, "what a beautiful sight! What do you think
this is--a blooming debating society? Wrong! It's a hospital, with
near a thousand sick and wounded to take care of.
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