to leave the home of his uncle and once more try to
reach his brothers.

"One evening a troop train halted at the little village. This was the
boy's opportunity. Watching his chance, he slipped into one of the
coaches and crawled up to the luggage rack and lay down, making
himself as inconspicuous as possible. But, alas, he was discovered and
dragged out by a station employe who had seen him enter the car.

"This ended Mattia's going to war for some time to come. He found no
opportunity to do so until nearly a month later, when he decided to
leave his uncle's home again and take his chances. This time he
planned well and carefully. Providing himself with food he set out one
evening after he was supposed to be in bed and asleep, and, proceeding
to the railroad, started walking along it. This, he had found, was the
most direct route to the front.

"Mattia's uncle did not take enough interest in his nephew's
disappearance to have a search made for him. For days after that the
lad continued his journey on foot, stopping at farmhouses and doing
little odd jobs that were the means of providing meals for him. One
day, to his great happiness, he came up with the rear of one of the
armies of his beloved country.

"The boy plodded in among the troops, for this was a rest camp that he
had stumbled upon, some miles distant from the front. An officer,
observing that he was a civilian, halted him in the street of the
village where the rest camp was situated.

"'Where are you going, boy?' the officer demanded.

"'To the war with you,' answered Mattia promptly.

"'What! To war, at your age? It is impossible. Where is your home?'

"Mattia told him.

"'My mother is dead, as is my father, and my brothers are fighting at
Verdun. Mattia has only his country left to love now. Where is
Verdun?'

"'You poor little patriot,' answered the officer sympathetically.
'Verdun is yonder where you see the smoke and where the big guns are
in action. You can hear them now.'

"The boy nodded.

"'But you are too young to fight. It is not permissible. Wait! You
have no family left at home?'

"'None, sir, save my uncle, who does not want me,'

"'And you wish to stay here?'

"'No, sir, I wish to fight.'

"'That cannot be, but if you wish you may remain here. If you can work
there is much that you can do in the rear and thus serve your country
well. All men who serve their country are not in the trenches. Many
are serving heroically who h