"Don't speak, old man," he whispered. "You're all right. It's Frank speaking. Billy's here. Just whisper to me and tell where you're hurt. But be careful, for the Germans are all around us."
"Guess I'm not hurt much," whispered Bart. "Got a clip on the head when that beam struck the boat."
"Sure you didn't get a bullet?" asked Frank anxiously.
"I don't think so," replied Bart. "Head's dizzy from that crack, but I feel all right everywhere else."
"Bully!" said Frank. "Now you just lie there till you get your strength back, and then we'll figure out what's to be done."
It was a hard problem, and it became none the easier a few minutes later when a boat came along under oars and was tied up at the end of the pier. It was a big boat and similar to those in which the Germans had made their unsuccessful attempt to cross the river a few days before.
It had evidently been out in the river picking up the wounded who had been thrown into the stream by the explosion. The rickety planks creaked as the soldiers carried the wounded survivors over the pier to the bank beyond. It would have been an exceedingly bad time for the Army Boys to be discovered and they crowded back as far as they could to escape detection.
The Germans were in a terrible rage over the body blow that had been dealt them in the destruction of the bridge. Apart from the heavy losses in men their entire plan of campaign would have to be reconstructed.
"That one bullet of yours was a mighty effective one, Frank," whispered Billy.
"It was classy shooting," said Bart. "From a rocking boat with shells bursting all around and so much depending on it, there'd have been lots of excuse for missing."