le to clear out of the way.

I turned. Round the bend of the road where the avenue of trees was I saw
a train of horses and gun-carriages careening with the curve, and a
battery of Belgian artillery came charging down in full retreat. And now
in the middle of the battery as if he were part of it and informed it
with his energy and speed, and now in front of it as if he led it, and
joyous as if he had turned its retreat into a victory, came Jimmy driving
his car.

The inside of the car was packed with wounded men; and, wedged up against
Jimmy, and standing on the steps, and sitting on the bonnet, and hanging
on wherever they could find a foothold and hang, were seven officers and
soldiers of the Belgian Army.

Kendal--bleeding profusely from a flesh wound on his forehead, but
otherwise unhurt--sat inside among the wounded.

It _had_ been a victory for Jimmy. He had advanced within fifty yards of
the German lines, he had picked up two of his wounded from under their
sentry's fire, and the rest of the men and the officers he had gathered
on his way.

We sent them all to Ghent with Colville.

Before he left, Kendal implored us just to look at Mr. Jevons's car.

Mr. Jevons's car was worth looking at. It had a hole in the back of it
where a bullet had gone clean through and buried itself in the cushions.
There were five bullet-holes in its hood. Its flank was scraped by a
flying fragment of shell, the same that had tilted its right rear
splash-board. Inside, its canvas covers and its rubber mat were stained
with blood.

Drawn up motionless in that village street and stared at, Jimmy's car had
something of its old self-conscious air. It looked pleased, and at the
same time surprised at itself.

And while Jevons was dressing and bandaging his flesh-wound for him an
idea struck Kendal and he grinned.

"D'you remember the time, sir, when you wouldn't let her out if there was
a spot of rain?"

"I do," said Jevons.

"And look at her now--not three weeks. What a life she's 'ad!"

And when Kendal (he was as pleased as Punch with his bandage) when Kendal
had climbed into Colville's car, Jimmy turned his round again; though the
officers implored him to come on, for the Germans were on our backs. But
Jimmy only jerked his thumb in the direction of Lokeren and made his
third bolt. I scrambled in beside him as he started.

I don't mind saying that I hated this adventure. It was one thing to go
into Antwerp when the Germa