As soon as the scout master arrived he examined to see what the others had done, for neither Bud nor Alec pretended to have had anything like the practical experience that Hugh did in this first aid to the injured business.
“We can better that some,” he told them, “and I think it would be wise to go at it before you try to carry her to the field hospital, where Arthur can get busy.”
Both of the other scouts were only too willing to do what they could; and making all the speed possible, Hugh soon had matters fixed to his satisfaction.
“Now, since you’ve already placed her on the stretcher, see if you can lift and carry her, boys. I’ll stay here and try to do what I can for the others.”
It required a considerable effort to raise the woman, for she was quite stocky in build, though short of stature, as is usually the case with natives of certain parts of Italy. Fortunately, however, Alec and Bud were sturdily constructed boys, and prided themselves on their muscular ability; so that they presently managed to stand erect, each holding an end of the poles forming the sides of the litter.
“Be as quick as you can, fellows!” Hugh called out after them as they started off. “If you feel too tired, send a couple of the others in your place.”
Immediately Hugh started to see what next could be done. He had never before been thrown in close contact with so much human suffering and misery, and it was little wonder that his heart throbbed with pity as he saw that there were still several more forms lying there on that terrible field where they had fallen.
One man seemed to be huddled up as though he might be actually dead. Hugh hardly dared look toward him, for up to that time the boy had never been brought face to face with the grim reality of death.
There were two others, however, who were moving, and toward these he hurried. One was holding himself up with his arms, and seemed to be anticipating relief. Perhaps he may have seen that the poor woman had been carried away on a stretcher; and he hoped for the same treatment himself. He looked from time to time in deadly fear toward the stockade from whence that murderous fire had leaped out, under which he had fallen.
It turned out that he was terribly injured about the legs. Hugh immediately jumped to the conclusion that scattering buckshot fired from a riot gun must have been responsible for those many ugly wounds. He remembered what the captain of the guards had said about giving orders to “shoot low”; and Hugh decided that this fact alone accounted for the many injuries to the lower extremities of the strikers.