Then he grew cloudy and filled the room, and then there was the creaking of baskets, and I saw things clearly again.

Old Brownsmith was gone, and the soft evening air came through the open window by the pots of geraniums.
My eyes were half-closed and I saw things rather dimly, particularly one pot on the window-sill, which, instead of being red and regular pot-shaped, seemed to be rounder and light-coloured, and to have a couple of eyes, and grinning white teeth.

There were no leaves above it nor scarlet blossoms, but a straw hat upside-down, with fuzzy hair standing up out of it; and the eyes kept on staring at me till it seemed to be Shock! Then it grew dark and I must have fallen asleep, wondering what that boy could have to do with my accident.
Perhaps I came to again--I don't know; for it may have been a dream that the old gentleman came softly back and dabbed my head gently with a towel, and that the towel was stained with blood.
Of course it was a dream that I was out in the East with my father, who was not hurt in the skirmish, but it was I who received the wound, which bled a good deal; and somehow I seemed to have been hurt in the shoulder, which ached and felt strained and wrenched.

But all became blank again and I lay some time asleep.
When I opened my eyes again I found that I was being hurt a good deal by the doctor, who was seeing to my injuries.

Old Brownsmith and Ike were both in the room, and I could see Shock peeping round the big _arbor vitae_ outside the window to see what was going on.
The doctor was holding a glass to my lips, while Old Brownsmith raised me up.
"Drink that, my boy," said the doctor.