settled policy of the Germans in their rush to push through Belgium and
Northern France to leave their wounded to be taken care of by the enemy,
whenever the battle has gone against them; or else a quick change of
front compels them to abandon the field."

"Still," argued Merritt, who secretly was much in favor of the Allies,
"you'd think there would be some parties out with stretchers, looking up
their wounded. I never will understand it."

"Well, they must have a good reason for acting that way," Rob told him.
"You know the Germans are great sticklers for sacrificing everything to
the good of the cause of the Fatherland. If necessary even the wounded
must be temporarily neglected until the end aimed at is attained. You
remember what we heard in Antwerp about those three British cruisers
that were just torpedoed in the North Sea by German submarines?"

"I can see what you mean, Rob. One was struck, and began to sink. The
other two hurried up to render assistance, and while their engines were
still they were hit by torpedoes and went down. If, instead of trying
to help their distressed comrades in the English way, they had let them
look out for themselves, and first of all smashed the conning towers of
the submarines, they would have saved themselves. I guess in war times
the German style counts best, though it seems cruel to me."

"I think we had better pull out of this before long," remarked Rob.

"Well, if you asked me I'd say I've had enough to last the rest of my
life," Merritt told his chum. "If ever I had any idea I'd like to be a
soldier I give you my word that's gone glimmering now. What I've looked
on this day has cured me."

"I was thinking more of poor Tubby than either of us," the patrol leader
remarked. "You can see he's pretty near the end of his rope. Twice now
I've seen him trip and fall flat, over some of the war material that's
scattered around so thick. And he could hardly get on his feet again,
he's that played out."

"But, Rob, Tubby has certainly shown up splendidly in this terrible
trial!"

"He's done a heap more than we have," Rob asserted, "because he always
has been a timid sort of chap with regard to seeing blood when any of us
got hurt. I remember how ghastly white Tubby grew that time one of the
scouts in the Owl Patrol cut his foot with the ax. I thought for a while
we'd have two patients on our hands. He had to sit down so as to get
over it."

"Yes, and see what he's stood to-d