“Some goat, that, misters!” said the farmer in a dry way.
“I guess you would think so if you knew just a little of his history!”
“You don’t mean to tell me that that there goat is the one they call the —th Regiment’s mascot, and the one the papers are always telling about?”
“Same goat!”
“Wal, I’ll be gosh darned!” in astonishment.
Jean did not come to and one of the officers had to run to the auto for restoratives while Jean was stretched out on the back seat with his head in a second officer’s lap. In falling he had hit his head on a stone and the wound was now bleeding profusely. The soldiers tied their handkerchiefs around his head and tried to stop the flow of blood as best they could and after the car was out of the ditch they drove so fast they were in danger of breaking their necks or having the car turn turtle at every turn.
When at last they did reach camp and got the chauffeur into the hospital and reported to the General for duty, they were in a pretty mess and looked as if they had been in a pitched battle with the enemy for they were covered with dirt and blood from their heads to their heels, which made the General exclaim when he saw them, “Well, bless my soul, you are a nice looking crowd! Whatever has happened to you?”
CHAPTER V
BILLY NEARLY KILLS THE COOK
WHEN Billy was sure he was not being followed, he went a circuitous way back to the dogs’ hospital that he might stop and have the fun of telling them how he escaped from the old General.