The blast of another shell threw André onto his face in a hail of debris. And Patchou twisted with a wild jerk and broke away.
André leaped to his feet, shrieking, “Patchou! Patchou!”
But Patchou had disappeared! And while André called wildly, another voice shouted, “Here, kid! Come here! The barn! Run, kid—run!”
The scream of another “88” from the sky brought André to his senses.
He saw a figure in the half-open door of the barn waving to him frantically.
André raced up to the entrance and threw himself into the arms of the tall soldier who had called. The door banged shut and the bolt was shot. Immediately a patter of machine-gun bullets rattled against the broad iron hinges. The hail of bullets whined and thudded steadily.
Another voice in the barn shouted angrily, “Where are the reinforcements, Lieutenant Ouvarski? Our ammo isn’t going to hold out much longer.”
The strong arms that had pulled André in set him on his feet, and he caught a glimpse of a lieutenant’s shoulder bars.
The lieutenant said gently, “It’s all right, boy. But what were you doing in the battle area?”
André could only gasp for breath. After a moment he stammered, “I—I didn’t know I was so close to the line. Patchou? Can I get him soon?”