As Henry approaches the campfire, he is stopped by a sentry. The sentry is Wilson, who is overjoyed to see Henry because he feared that Henry had been killed in battle. As the two talk, Henry explains his disappearance by saying that he got separated from the company, and he extends this falsehood by saying that he also got shot in the head. The corporal, Simpson, overhears this conversation (the other men, including an officer, are all asleep) and asks Wilson what is going on. Wilson explains that Henry has returned, and Simpson comments that if men continue to return at this rate over the course of the night, by morning, the entire company will be back.
Simpson tells Henry to sit down, and Henry does so with great relief. Wilson comforts Henry, dresses his head wound (commenting on the unusual nature if this head wound — a wound which looked more like someone had hit him over the head rather than a bullet wound), lets him have some coffee, and gives him his blankets for the night.
