“It seems to be the general desire, Herb, to stick,” Don said.
“Stick we will, then. Back to the mines!” Herbert turned to the rock basin. “Wilson, better set up that Browning again. Corporal, detail two men to fix up some comfortable beds out here on the ridge and four others to make a couple of rough litters to carry these wounded men. We’ve got to get them out of here. Don—you’re a doctor’s son—can you see what these fellows need and look after them a little?”
“Sure. They all have first aid kits. I’ll pick out those who are the least hurt and get them to looking after the others. Corporal, I’ll be one to fix up a hospital. Who—? Gerhardt? Come on, then, young fellow; we’ll have these poor chaps comfortable as possible in a jiffy.”
But one of the wounded Germans was far gone, with a bullet evidently through the bottom of his right lung. He was coughing blood and slowly bleeding to death. Another was terribly ill from a shot through the abdomen; eventually he would die. Of the other seven one was blinded, another had a part of his jaw shot away, the rest had injuries to legs, arms, shoulders, a hip. And one was a medical student, which fact he made known to Don in mixed German and bad English, the former of which the boy understood a little, or guessed at it.
The student was genuinely grateful for the care that Don insisted that the wounded men must have and for the help in getting his own shoulder bandaged. Then, beneath an improvised cabin of poles, with thatched roof of spruce boughs, the embryo surgeon went to work with one hand. Jennings, meanwhile, somewhat against his will, had made a trip to the spring run and refilled the water bucket for the wounded foes and returned to fill the empty canteens of the squad.
“Didn’t see nary Jerry on the way,” he announched. “Reckon we got ’em scared off.”
“Sho! You’ll find out about ’em bein’ scared a bit later. Trouble with you is your swelled head,” Gill asserted.
“I’ll swell your head with my foot if you don’t go away from me!” the big mountaineer threatened.
“If you sling your old hoof this a-way, I’ll jest bite it off,” Gill chuckled.
The two went on working side by side, still further strengthening the defenses. Presently they were seen, with arms over each other’s shoulders and carrying their beloved rifles, sitting on the stone wall, swapping experiences about shooting deer and bear.