“No, no! He’s all right. He shot me here in the hand—you can see for yourself. I—he mistook me for a German. I came in here to help these——”
Herbert motioned the fellow to silence. “You’ll tell that at Headquarters. Stand where you are! My men will be here in a minute and attend to you. I think, too, we’ll have enough on you.”
Hours later, toward sundown, Lieutenants Whitcomb and Richards walked from the army kitchen to the captain’s tent, but paused without for a chat. Whitcomb, now first officer of the company under Captain Lowden, was talking:
“I know just how it felt, Don; been hit there boxing. Hurts for a little while; you did mighty well to keep up under it as you did. Well, news for you: The captain wants another lieutenant and with your commission you fit in without more red tape. So he sent a messenger to Colonel Walton asking for your transfer, and now that you’ve landed that spy, they’ve granted it. So tomorrow, old scout, we go on again together.”
“Nothing could tickle me more, Herb! I guess I know enough of this military business now to carry on.”
CHAPTER XXIV
Fast Work
IT is the unexpected that often happens, in battle as well as in everyday life.