The Children of France Part 10

"In this manner Jean managed to get his friend to the trench, whence the officer was taken to a first-aid station, then later in the day placed in an ambulance and started for a hospital in the rear.

"The road over which they were carried, for Jean had remained with lieutenant Andre, was sh.e.l.l swept, the Germans knowing very well that ambulances with wounded men were there.

"To the hospital went the two, and there, side by side, they lay in cots, for at last Jean had been struck and wounded by a sh.e.l.l that wrecked the ambulance just before they had reached their destination.

The driver was killed but the Little Soldier of Mercy and his friend escaped, with only a shaking up for the lieutenant and a slight wound in the leg of Jean.

"Lieutenant Andre, on account of his wounds, was disabled for life, but through his efforts Jean was appointed to the French military training school, and the last I heard of him he was still fighting heroically for France."

CHAPTER XI

A BRAVE LITTLE COWARD

"He was a fine fellow, that Jean," observed Joe Funk, "but for myself I think I should have shouldered a gun and sailed in to get some of the Boches."

"That was for the soldiers to do," replied Captain Favor. "Jean's heroism was as great as that of any man who ever went into battle with rifle or sword. Now I will tell you about another hero who was both coward and hero, but, in the last a.n.a.lysis, was all hero. Lucien, he was named, and, though he did not know it, he was a very funny fellow.

Listen to the tale of little Lucien."

"Lucien's home was in a village not far from Verdun, where such terrible fighting had been indulged in for so many, many weeks.

Battles, in fact, had been fought not far from the boy's home, and even now angry Prussian parties were raiding these towns and robbing the inhabitants of whatever appealed to their appet.i.tes or their greed. Parties of them had already visited the village and Lucien was in the habit of observing their movements from high up in a tree, which was his favorite hiding place when danger approached. Nor was he partial to any particular tree. Any tree that was handy would answer his purpose.

"On the afternoon that I have in mind, a farmhouse just outside the village bore mute evidence that raiders had been there. All the windows had been broken out, doors smashed in and blackened spots about the windows and doors on the outside wall indicated that the house had been set on fire on the inside, but for some reason had not burned down. The scene was a cheerless one. Not a person was in sight.

"Along the road came a detachment of French soldiers. The officer in command, a captain, halted his men for rest and, observing the condition of the house, entered the yard to see if he could not obtain some information from the occupants. But there were no occupants there.

"'They must have been here recently,' he said out loud, meaning that the Germans had visited the place. 'Perhaps I shall find that which I seek in the village.'

"Strolling along, the captain halted under a large apple tree, from which apples had fallen to the ground, though the tree had been pretty well stripped already. He stooped over to pick up an apple and as he did so a hard apple hit him squarely on the top of the head.

"The captain said 'Ouch!' and rubbed the spot where the apple had hit him. But he forgot all about it in his enjoyment of the apple he was now eating while stepping out from under the tree. He was munching away at the fruit when another apple hit him, this time squarely on the neck.

"This was a keen as well as a cautious captain, and this time he did not pretend to have noticed the incident, but kept on munching his fruit. While doing so he squinted up at the tree out of the corner of one eye. He knew he was too far from the tree for the last apple to have fallen on him. While he was taking a cautious look another apple came out from the foliage of the tree and fell toward him, but the officer, stepping slightly to one side, avoided being hit by it.

"He deliberately drew his revolver from its holster and, turning, aimed at the tree.

"'I think I can shoot the apples off easier than I can shake them down,' he announced in a loud tone.

"'Don't shoot, monsieur l'Officer,' cried a voice from the tree.

"'What! Some one up there?'

"'Yes, yes. It is I, Lucien,' was the reply from the tree.

"'Come down, Lucien. I would like to have a look at you,' ordered the captain.

"A very young boy, red of face and very much frightened, came sliding down the trunk of the tree and landed on all fours at its foot. The officer eyed him sternly.

"'What do you mean, boy, by bombarding me with apples?' he demanded.

"Lucien hung his head. The officer jerked him to his feet.

"'Answer me! What were you doing up in that tree? Spying on us, eh?'

"'No, monsieur l'Officer, I am a Frenchman. Frenchmen do not spy on their own people.'

"'That is true. But how do I know you are not spying on us just the same, for the Germans have been here?'

"'Yes, monsieur le Capitaine, they have been here. See, they have spoiled my beautiful home. I lived there with the farmer for whom I worked--sometimes.'

"'Where were you when the Germans came?'

"'Up in the top of the apple tree. I always climb a tree when I am scared. I saw them coming and I hid myself, and I saw them when they beat in the windows and the door and carried away the food and tried to burn down the house. I shall fight them some day for that.'

"'Hm-m-m-m,' mused the officer. It was his idea that Lucien was not so stupid as he appeared.

"'Yes, monsieur, I saw them and I wish to see them again. Shall you go and fight the Boches?'

"'Of course, when we catch them. How long since they were here?'

"'Maybe an hour or an hour and a half.'

"'How many of them?'

"'About as many as you have here, maybe another company more.'

"'Which way did they go?'

"'That way.' Lucien indicated the direction taken by the Germans by a jerk of his thumb to the right. 'And Lucien knows pretty well where they have gone.'

"'Oh, you do? Kindly tell me where you think the Boches went?'

demanded the captain, now amused at the boy's queerness.

"'They have gone to cut off the road from Etain. I saw them going that way.'

"'How do you know this?'

"'Did I not hear them talking just before I dropped an apple on the head of the Herr Major, the apple that stuck on his helmet and made him very angry? It was well for Lucien that the Herr Major did not know he threw the apple. Wait while I laugh, Captain. No, Lucien did not throw another at the Herr Major. He saved the next one for monsieur le Capitaine.'

"'See here, child, do you know this country well?' demanded the French Captain.

"'Yes, monsieur, I know it well, as well as I know my own pocket, and I wait only for an opportunity to serve you and my country.'

"'Well spoken. My son, the opportunity is at hand. From what you tell me I take it that the Germans went toward the forest yonder where the road from Etain pa.s.ses. Is that right?'

"'Yes, monsieur, the big road from Verdun. But there is still another road to Etain. It follows along the woods to the left near the river.'