While waiting they strolled around the immediate vicinity, being considerably interested in all that was going on.
Josh in particular seemed disposed not to lose anything. He moved this way and that, now watching the labors of a string of men dragging at a rope by means of which they were helping the horses attached to a heavy gun pull the same up out of the river; and a little later even observing the field surgeon and his assistants binding up the grievous wounds of scores of poor fellows who had been more or less injured in the battle.
Rod was seated on a stump and thinking seriously of their own affairs when he suddenly became aware of the fact that his two chums were hurrying toward him. He could also see that they looked both excited and grave, as though something had happened to alarm them.
Of course the first thing that came into Rod’s mind was bad news; he feared that in some way they might have learned about the fate of Andre, and were now hurrying to tell him all their efforts had been in vain, for the husband of poor Jeanne could never sign his name to the paper they carried.
“Is he dead, then?” was the way he addressed them as they came panting up.
“Oh! it isn’t about Andre, Rod!” gasped Hanky Panky.
“What then?” questioned the other, at the same time giving a sigh of relief, for he had feared the worst.
“It’s something Josh here hit on, that’s given us both a bad shock; he’ll tell you, Rod,” continued the other, who was trembling visibly.
“It’s just this way, you see,” Josh spoke up. “There’s a German soldier hiding close by, a wild-looking chap in the bargain. Whee! but he’s got staring eyes, and he makes me think of a crazy man.”
“Oh! he must be one of their wounded,” said Rod; “when they pulled out in such a big hurry they couldn’t take all with them, and some had to be abandoned. This fellow in hiding that you’ve run across must be hurt in the legs, and couldn’t get away with the rest.”