“No doubt about it at all,” came the ready answer. “Now, if you see me start out toward him in case he stops, please stay where you are, everybody.”
“We’re on, Hugh,” Billy assured him; “but I only hope he can understand enough English to grab what you say to him, that’s all.”
The leader of the striking laborers continued to advance straight toward the little group of khaki-clad scouts. Hugh kept his truce flag waving constantly, as if he meant to impress upon the suspicious minds of these people that they had nothing to fear from himself and companions.
Just as Hugh had anticipated, the man suddenly came to a halt about fifty feet off. Undoubtedly he had reached the limit of his valor, and believed one of the strangers in uniform should come out to meet him. Yes, he was even then making violent beckoning gestures with his hand, and holding up one finger, which doubtless meant that he wanted but a single member of the group to meet him.
Accordingly, Hugh immediately started off to join him, with his flag over his shoulder. Quickly he advanced, and was soon up to the man, whom he found to be a fellow with a strong face, and undoubtedly well fitted for his position as a leader among his people.
“Can you speak English?” was the first thing Hugh asked, and to his surprise as well as pleasure the man nodded his head as he replied briskly:
“Sure. Anglish I spick ver’ well.”
“That’s good,” the other hastened to say, and looking as friendly as he could. “Do you know what the Boy Scouts are? We do not belong to the soldiers, but we wear this uniform so we can be known from other boys. We were in camp over there,” and he pointed back along the road as he said this, “when we heard the shooting. We feared some of your people must have been hurt, and that you mightn’t have a doctor here to help them. So we have come to do what we’re able, to stop the bleeding, to bind up the wounds, and make them as comfortable as we can.”
The big man with the dark face had listened intently. His face lighted up with intelligence, and Hugh realized that the other must have grasped the idea he was trying to convey after a fashion.
“Oh, you doctor, you know how keep men alive after they be shot? Why, you only boy. I never know boy can be doctor over here. How is that so, tell me?”