His condition was pitiable, and the sight of a strong man overcome is not pleasant; when it was seen that no harm had been done the others strove to make light of the accident.
"Get together, all of you! It's nothing to be excited over," said Stark.
"How did it happen ?" Runnion finally asked Gale, who had sunk limply upon the edge of the bunk; but when the old man undertook to answer his words were unintelligible, and he shook his head helplessly.
Stark laid his finger on the hole that the bullet had bored in the log close to where he was sitting, and laughed.
"Never mind, old man, it missed me by six inches.

You know there never was a bullet that could kill me.

I'm six-shooter proof." "Wha'd I tell you ?" triumphantly ejaculated Lee, turning his one eye upon the Lieutenant.

"You laughed at me, didn't you ?" "I'm beginning to believe it myself," declared the soldier.
"It's a cinch," said Stark, positively, Doret, of all in the cabin, had said nothing.

Seated apart from the others, he had seen the affair from a distance, as it were, and now stepped to the bed to lay his hand on Gale's shoulder.
"Brace up, John! Sacre bleu! Your face look lak' flour.