Immediately consternation bordering on a panic took possession of all in that unlucky field hospital. No one could understand why the German gunfire had been so suddenly raised and sent in this quarter. Thad glanced hurriedly toward the little rise. The big white flag with its crimson cross still floated there, and each successive waft of the passing breeze opened its folds, so that surely it could be readily seen miles away when glasses were used.
Whether it came about through some misunderstanding or confusion of orders on the part of the enemy mattered little to those who were thus exposed to death by the change in the bombardment.
The head surgeon grasped the situation at once. He knew that to remain there longer was simple folly. The field hospital must move back half a mile or so to the second position that had been selected, and that while under fire.
Meanwhile, even as he was trying to give orders to this effect, other shells continued to drop all around them. Some of them fell outside the confines of the camp, which was a most fortunate thing; but there were others not so merciful, and again and again did terrible damage follow.
All was excitement and apparent confusion. In vain did the surgeons try to assuage the wild fear that possessed the attendants. More than a few had already been mowed down by those mighty engines of destruction that in bursting knew neither friend nor foe, patient, doctor or nurse.
Vans were being hastily loaded and driven away in mad haste, as if the ruling passion in each and every heart just then was to get beyond range of those constantly falling shells. There were several French female nurses in the camp. These brave women seemed ready to sacrifice their own lives in order to leave room in some of the vans for the wounded. But they were not allowed to thus immolate themselves on the altar of duty. French chivalry could not stand for such a sacrifice, and, accordingly, they were actually seized, and struggling still against going, thrust into a van that was just starting. The last the wondering boys saw of them those nurses of the Red Cross were still endeavoring to make their captors let them get out of the van so as to make room for poor wounded privates of the line. Certainly Thad and his mates would never be able to get that wonderful picture out of their minds, for it seemed the crowning act of fidelity, well worth mentioning in history.
Of course the three boys were not unmindful of the fact that it behooved them to depart from that dangerous section as fast as they were able.
Thad could not find the heart to try to take up room aboard any of the struggling vehicles, where every bit of space was needed for others far less able to get on than themselves. So long as their legs were serviceable he believed it to be their duty to make use of them. Surely they would have about as much chance of escaping those dropping shells as any who took to the road in vehicles.
Already many had gone, the surgeons lingering despite the increasing peril, so as to see the very last of their patients on the way before they would consent to departing. Some of them might stay too long, for at any moment a shell was apt to explode directly over headquarters and annihilate the entire staff.
“We had better be on the jump!” was what Thad shouted in the ear of Allan, after they had watched these thrilling sights for several minutes and twice narrowly escaped dire injuries when explosions occurred close by.