Nevertheless the satisfaction that comes from deeds well done pervaded them, and as they lay upon the leaves and awaited their food and coffee they showed great good humor.
"Have you any objection, sir, to my taking a census ?" said Warner to Colonel Winchester.
"No, Warner, but what kind of a census do you mean ?" "I want to count our wounds, separately and individually and then make up the grand total." "All right, George, go ahead," said Colonel Winchester, laughing.
"Dick," said Warner, "what hurts have you sustained in the past week ?" "A bullet scratch on the shoulder, another on the side, a slight cut from a saber on my left arm, about healed now, a spent bullet that hit me on the head, raising a lump and ache for the time being, and a kick from one of our own horses that made me walk lame for a day." "The kick from a horse, as it was one of our horses, doesn't go." "I didn't put it forward seriously.

I withdraw my claim on its account." "That allows you four wounds.

Now, Pennington, how about you ?" "First I had a terrible wound in the foot," replied the Nebraskan.
"A bullet went right through my left shoe and cut the skin off the top of my little toe." "Leave out the 'terrible.' That's no dreadful wound." "No, but it burned like the sting of a wasp and bled in a most disgraceful manner all over my sock.

Then my belt buckle was shot away." "That doesn't count either.

A wound's a wound only when you're hit yourself, not when some piece of your clothing is struck." "All right.