"He seems to be very much better," said the doctor. "He is bruised up about the same as you were when you were brought to the hospital at Cortier," he said, addressing Ralph.
After a wait of half an hour more, the doctor announced that the patient could be moved, and he was accordingly carried to the van and comfortably fixed on the hammock within.
"So you knew the captain?" inquired the doctor.
"Yes; we happened to be crossing the aviation grounds at Dunkirk, at a time when the captain was aloft, and some part of the machine broke. He had a bad fall, and we were, fortunately, close at hand and helped to rescue him from under the machine," said Alfred.
The captain opened his eyes; he tried to smile, but the attempt died away. Then he seemed to make another effort, and this time succeeded.
"You were right," said the captain in a weak voice. "We found it; report to the colonel. The battery must have wiped them out by this time."
He closed his eyes and was silent for a time. It seemed as though he actually dropped off into a sound sleep.
"What does he mean? Do you know what he is talking about?" asked the doctor, turning to the boys.
The patient's eyelids began to quiver, and the boys quietly nodded their heads. "That was a corker!" continued the captain. "Tell the colonel, by all means."