CHAPTER XVII.
WHAT CAME OF IT ALL.
When we found him, he was lying completely covered by the body of the elder boy, and if we had not come up when we did, he must have been suffocated. The sergeant of the firing party, a rough brute, who was captured, and who explained the matter to us and pointed out the boys, said, with tears in his eyes, that he had never seen such a piece of heroism. Ephraim had evidently caught sight of some of our men in the wood, and knew that in a moment or two the fight must begin. At the same time he believed that the movement would be too late to stop the fire of the platoon, and even as the word was upon the sergeant’s lips, flung himself in front of Lucius, deliberately offering his own life to save that of his friend. As a matter of fact, all his wounds are from our men and in the back; but for all that, they are as glorious as any received in front by our brave fellows to-day.’
‘“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.” It was splendid!’
The full, earnest voice stirred a faint memory in Luce’s dull brain. He looked wearily up into the kind face bent anxiously over him. ‘My General!’ he murmured, and closed his eyes again.
Stonewall Jackson laid his hand caressingly upon the fair, curly head.
‘Poor fellow!’ he said. ‘Will he pull through, doctor, do you think?’
‘Oh yes; I trust so,’ replied the surgeon. ‘His ankle is badly shattered, and he will limp for the rest of his days; but I think we shall be able to save the foot.’
‘And Ephraim?’ asked the General.
‘Ah!’