who is
who. It doesn't much matter to us, however. However long or short I
live, I'll never forget it. Never! Just think of it, Velo; three
ships of the line, and a flyer." He turned to the opposite direction,
scanning the sea with keen eyes.

"Yes, sure enough, here comes the Red Cross! The fight is over. She
is going to pass us. That's pretty fine, isn't it, Velo? Don't that
make you feel warm all over?"

"She may not stop," said Velo gloomily.

"A Red Cross ship pass all this bunch swimming around here without
stopping to pick them up? You are crazy!"

"There are not so very many," insisted Velo.

"They will stop to pick you up if all the rest of us go down before
they get here," said Zaidos patiently. "You have the life belt, Velo,
so don't worry any more than you have to."

A silence followed. After the wild racket of the guns, it seemed as
though the sea itself whispered. On and on came the Red Cross ship.
It approached so near that they could see that a couple of boats were
being lowered. They were gasoline launches, and they raced here and
there, pausing every little while to pick up a survivor. As they
approached Zaidos and his cousin, Velo commenced to scream in a weak
voice. Zaidos sighed, but said nothing.

When the nearest launch approached them, Velo thrust him back and left
him swimming while he, with his life belt, was lifted over the side.
But a sailor had Zaidos by the shoulder. It was well, for the boy was
at the point of exhaustion, and as he felt himself drawn into the boat,
he found a sudden darkness settle over everything, and he sank back
unconscious into the arms of a doctor.

When he opened his eyes, he was in the clean, airy, floating hospital.
It took a little thought for Zaidos to recollect where he was. When he
did so, he made an effort to arise. To his great surprise, he could
not move. He threw back the covers. His leg was in splints. He
stared at it with surprise.

A nurse came up. "How did that happen?" he demanded. "What ails my
leg anyhow?"

"You ought to know," she smiled. "We expect you to tell us. Your leg
is broken below the knee. Just the small bone, you know. Do you mean
to say you did not know it?"

"I should say not!" said Zaidos. "You are sure it is broken? It hurts
a lot, but I don't see how it could be broken without my knowing it."

"Yes, it is certainly broken," the nurse repeated.

"Oh, you are talking English, aren't you?"