e even had the audacity to wave
his hand at me, and grin."

"Where was this, Rob?" demanded Merritt, surprised, as well he might be.

"Where but sitting on one of those ammunition caissons that went
whirling past us into action. Anthony must have been with the artillery
corps. He felt the longing come over him when he thought of the enemies
of his country--those raiding Uhlans. So what did he do but take French
leave on his horse, and get to where this battery was waiting for
orders to proceed to the front."

"Oh! well, if you're dead sure it was Anthony," Merritt observed, as if
mollified by the information, "of course we'll have to forgive him. I
was only mad because I thought the fellow'd gone and gotten cold feet,
after taking our advance pay, too. If he's that kind of a patriot, I've
got no quarrel with Anthony."

"And perhaps he even had a share in mowing down some of these Germans
who had invaded his country," suggested Tubby. "Anthony seemed to be
pretty bitter against the Kaiser and his people for trying to cross
Belgium in order to strike France in the back, as he called it. Whee!
I'm tired; but I didn't give up, did I, fellows? You never thought Tubby
would be able to come through with what he has, and I know it."

"You deserve a medal, Tubby; and we were just saying what a change
there's been in you," Rob told him, causing a wan smile to flit across
the wearied face of the fat scout.

"Yes," added Merritt readily, "to see the tender way you handled that
German, hardly more than a boy himself, and who may never live to see
his people again, anyone would have thought you had it in you to be a
surgeon. Tubby, if I were you I'd pay more attention to such things. I
honestly believe there's a streak of it in your blood."

"Well," Tubby remarked complacently, "we've had eminent doctors in our
family; and my folks always said they hoped I'd take a fancy that way;
but when I found how weak I was every time I saw a little blood, I gave
up the idea. Now I've had my baptism on the battlefield, so mebbe I
_will_ change my mind. Even a soft-hearted fellow might make a good
doctor, if he couldn't be a surgeon."

"Listen, there's someone calling to us!" exclaimed Merritt.

"And in German, too," added Rob. "Look all around, and see if you can
find him. He must have recovered his senses after we passed by before."

"There's something moving under that pile of bodies," remarked Tubby
with a shudder; "yes, and now yo