Some of them knew that cry of old.

They had heard it in the Old Land in circumstances of heart-chilling terror, but never in this land till this moment.
"What is all this ?" cried the Sergeant again.

His glance swept the room and rested upon the huddled heap of men in the furthest corner.
He seized the topmost and hauled him roughly from the heap.
"Hello! What's this?
Why, God bless my soul! The man is dying!" From a wound in the neck the blood was still spouting.

Quickly the Sergeant was on his knees beside the wounded man, his thumb pressed hard upon the gaping wound.

But still the blood continued to bubble up and squirt from under his thumb.