But Tom Drift never moved from Charlie's bedside, nor did Charlie, by word or movement, disturb him.

In the silence of that night I seemed to be back in the past--when, years ago, I first knew these two.

The dreary hospital changed, in my imagination, into the old Randlebury dormitory.
These beds all round were occupied not by wounded soldiers, but by soundly-sleeping boys, worn out with sports or study.

And the two between whom I lay were no longer suffering men, but the light-hearted lads of long ago.

I could almost fancy myself ticking through the silent watches; and when now and then the fingers that held me closed over me, or fondled me tenderly, I could almost have believed I heard the low sweet whistling of an innocent boy as he furtively turned in his waking moments to his father's precious gift.
It all seemed so strangely natural that as I woke from my dream it required an effort to remember where I really was.