of the arrows, and Ruffy's voice.
'Come on, boss. Get up.' He felt himself being lifted and dragged along.
With his legs boneless soft under him, he staggered beside
Ruffy.
Then there were no more arrows; the timbers of the bridge became solid
earth under his feet. Voices and hands on him. He was being lifted, then
lowered face down on to the wooden floor of a truck. The rhythmic
pressure on his chest as someone started artificial respiration above
him, the warm gush of water up his throat, and
Shermaine's voice. He could not understand what she was saying, but just
the sound of it was enough to make him realize he was safe.
Darkly through the fog he became aware that her voice was the most
important sound in his life.
He vomited again.
Hesitantly at first, and then swiftly, Bruce came back from the
edge of oblivion.
'That's enough,' he mumbled and rolled out from under Sergeant
Jacque who was administering the artificial respiration. The movement
started a fresh paroxysm of coughing and he felt Shermaine's hands on
his shoulders restraining him.
'Bruce, you must rest.'
'No.' He struggled into a sitting position. 'We've got to get out into
the open,' he gasped.
'No hurry, boss. We've left all the Balubes on the other bank.
There's a river between us.'
'How do you know?' Bruce challenged him.
'Well-'
'You don't!' Bruce told him flatly. 'There could easily be another few
hundred on this side.' He coughed again painfully and then went on.
'We're leaving in five minutes, get them ready.'
'Okay.'
Ruffy turned to leave.
'Ruffy!'
'Boss?' He turned back expectantly.
'Thank you.' Ruffy grinned self-consciously. 'At's all right. I
needed a wash anyway.'
'I'll buy you a drink when we get home.' 'I wont forget,' Ruffy warned
him, and climbed down out of the truck.
Bruce heard him shouting to his boys.
'I thought I'd lost you.' Shermaine's arm was still round his shoulders
and Bruce looked at her for the first time.
'My sweet girl, you won't get rid of me that easily,' he assured her. He
was feeling much better now.
'Bruce, I want to - I can't explain-' Unable to find the words she
leaned forward instead and kissed him, full on the mouth.
When they drew apart, Sergeant Jacque and the two gendarmes with him
were grinning delightedly.
'There is nothing wrong with you now, Captain.'
'No, there isn't,' Bruce agreed. 'Make your preparations for departure.'
