Helpless and Hopeless

           ITwasnotatimefordespair,butaction.ThebridgeatKemplePierwasdestroyed,buttheSnowyRivermustbecrossed,comewhatmight,andtheymustreachTwofoldBaybeforeBenJoyceandhisgang,so,insteadofwastingtimeinemptywords,thenextday(the16thofJanuary)JohnManglesandGlenarvanwentdowntoexaminetheriver,andarrangeforthepassageover.

           Theswollenandtumultuouswatershadnotgonedowntheleast.Theyrushedonwithindescribablefury.Itwouldberiskinglifetobattlewiththem.Glenarvanstoodgazingwithfoldedarmsanddowncastface.

           "Wouldyoulikemetotryandswimacross?"saidJohnMangles.

           "No,John,no!"saidLordGlenarvan,holdingbackthebold,daringyoungfellow,"letuswait."

           Andtheybothreturnedtothecamp.Thedaypassedinthemostintenseanxiety.TentimesLordGlenarvanwenttolookattheriver,tryingtoinventsomeboldwayofgettingover;butinvain.Hadatorrentoflavarushedbetweentheshores,itcouldnothavebeenmoreimpassable.

           Duringtheselongwastedhours,LadyHelena,undertheMajor’sadvice,wasnursingMulradywiththeutmostskill.Thesailorfeltathrobofreturninglife.McNabbsventuredtoaffirmthatnovitalpartwasinjured.Lossofbloodaccountedforthepatient’sextremeexhaustion.Thewoundonceclosedandthehemorrhagestopped,timeandrestwouldbeallthatwasneededtocompletehiscure.LadyHelenahadinsistedongivingupthefirstcompartmentofthewagontohim,whichgreatlytriedhismodesty.