e demanded of the stretcher bearers who had begun to
carry him back.

They tried to explain, hurrying a little. He threatened them with his
revolver.

"Turn around. Let's go--with the battalion."

The lieutenant saw, the men saw, these frightened figures running with
loping steps, carrying a stretcher which they jerked and twitched so
that the figure lying on it with arm raised, holding a revolver,
suffered agonies and struggled not to be flung to the ground. And the
lieutenant and the men sprang to their feet, ran forward, shouted:

"Follow the Major!"

The German gunners, caught by surprise, hesitated, had trouble,
therefore, shortening their ranges; and as panic spreads so does the
sudden spirit of victory.

"Same side of the window!" George grumbled as the bearers set him down
behind the captured guns.

"Just the same," he rambled, "fine fellows. Who said they weren't fine
fellows?"

He wanted to argue it angrily with a wounded German propped against a
shattered tree, but the lieutenant interrupted him, bringing up a
medical orderly, asking him if he had any instructions. George answered
very pleasantly:

"Not past me, Mr. Planter! Rank and file myself!"

The lieutenant glanced significantly at the medical orderly. He looked
sharply at George's hair and suddenly pointed.

"They nicked him in the head, too."

The orderly knelt and examined the place the lieutenant had indicated.

"Oh, no, sir. That's quite an old scar."

XII

"Lost a leg or two?" Allen asked.

"Not yet. Don't think I shall. Planter's not so lucky, but he'll get
home sooner."

Allen brought George his one relief from the deadly monotony of the base
hospital. He had sent for him because he wanted his opinion as to the
possibility of an armistice. Blodgett, however, hadn't waited for the
result of the conference. The day Allen arrived a letter came from him,
telling George not to worry.

"King Ferdy along about the last of September whispered I'd better begin
to unload. It's a killing, George."

With his mind clear of that George could be amused by Allen. The friend
of the people wore some striking clothes from London tailors and
haberdashers. He carried a cunning little cane. He had managed something
extremely neat in moustaches. He spoke with a perceptible West End
accent. But in reply to George's sneering humour he made this
astonishing remark:

"It isn't nearly as much fun being a top-hole person as I thought it was
go