CHAPTER XI
IN THE HOSPITAL
“Well, how are you feeling this morning, Dave?”
“A great deal better than I did yesterday, Roger. I think, if all goes well, I’ll be up on my feet by to-morrow.”
“You’ve got to go slow, so the nurse tells me. That wound was rather a serious one, even though it was clean-cut.”
“I suppose I can be thankful that it didn’t go through my lungs instead of my side,” went on Dave, with an attempt at a smile. “How are you feeling, Roger?”
“Oh, I’m all right again.”
“And how is Phil?”
“Here he comes to speak for himself,” answered the young corporal.
About two weeks had elapsed since that memorable day when Dave and the other fighting engineers had made such a record of bravery for themselves. Through them the new road through the forest had been held, and now the American line in that direction had been advanced from eight to ten miles. The Germans in that vicinity were gradually being shoved into a pocket, and the Allies felt certain that sooner or later they would break away and begin a general retreat.
As Dave intimated, the bullet which had prostrated him had passed through his side not a great distance from his right lung. It had been a clean-cut flesh wound, however, and no complications had followed.