He pulled off his shoes, tightened the girth of his trousers, flung his cap on the grass, and clasped the trunk of the ash.
“Take care, now!” exclaimed the officer, making a movement to hold him back, as though seized with a sudden terror.
The boy turned to look at him, with his handsome blue eyes, as though interrogating him.
“No matter,” said the officer; “up with you.”
Up went the lad like a cat.
“Keep watch ahead!” shouted the officer to the soldiers.
In a few moments the boy was at the top of the tree, twined around the trunk, with his legs among the leaves, but his body displayed to view, and the sun beating down on his blond head, which seemed to be of gold. The officer could hardly see him, so small did he seem up there.
“Look straight ahead and far away!” shouted the officer.
The lad, in order to see better, removed his right hand from the tree, and shaded his eyes with it.
“What do you see?” asked the officer.