, but remember
not to go too far. You are not accustomed to such sights, and it may
affect you in the end."

She hurried away to take up her own labors, leaving the boys with a
proud sense of having done their duty as genuine scouts should, trying
to be of use to others in sore need.

For an hour, yes two of them, they continued to work there, while the
stretcher bearers and the ambulances bore the victims of the late
conflict back in apparently an unending procession. Those poor fellows
who had no further need of attention were of course allowed to remain
just as they had fallen; and by degrees the wounded were weeded out, to
be taken care of back of the desperately defended lines, where the Red
Cross floated from the canvas field hospital.

Tubby had about reached the end of his endurance. They could see that he
was certainly getting very wabbly on his feet, for often he stumbled as
he moved around with his bucket and dipper, seeking a stray wounded
soldier who might have been overlooked, so as to supply water to quench
his raging thirst.

The sun looked down from a cloudless September sky, and it was very hot
for the advanced season of the year. Far off in the distance those
never-ceasing German guns still kept up their muttering as they sent
shells into some fortified place. The battle in this particular field
was apparently not going to be renewed; for already some of the Belgian
batteries were being taken away, to face a new quarter where, according
to their air scouts, the enemy meant to next try a forward movement.

Terrible though the experience may have been to all the boys, none of
them had any regrets. The grateful looks and words they had received
repaid them tenfold for all the nerve-racking ordeals through which they
had gone.

"I think it's queer, though," Merritt was saying to Rob, as they walked
around in search of any wretched victim whom they might assist, "that
not a single German has been out on the battlefield to render first aid.
I don't understand it at all. They've got as fine surgeons as any in the
world, and the Red Cross works with their armies the same as with all
the rest."

"I was bothering my head about that, too, since you mention it," Rob
announced.

"What did you make up your mind was the cause of it?" continued Merritt,
who had considerable respect for the opinions and decisions of the Eagle
Patrol leader.

"It means either one of two things," he was told. "It may be the