THE BRITISH WAY
Again he lost consciousness for a moment. Then he heard an English voice.
"You silly blighter! Couldn't you see?"
"He was going to shoot."
"Well, what of it? He couldn't hit a haystack. Didn't you see he was fair crumpled with the fall?"
"You may talk, but I wasn't going to be shot in mistake for a bloomin' Hun."
"I tell you any fool could see he was one of ours. I was sure of it. You ought to have made sure--striking your superior officer."
"Silence, you men!" called an authoritative voice. An officer had come up from the shelter of the wood. "The noise you are making can be heard a mile off. You'll bring the whole Hun army down on us."
As a matter of fact, the men had begun by speaking in stage whispers, their tones becoming louder and louder in their excitement as the altercation proceeded.
Burton rose stiffly and painfully to his feet.