“I hardly think we ought to mention it,” replied Jack; “because there’s so much bad blood shown between the Germans and the British just now they’d only refuse. This war is getting more bitter the further it moves along, and there’s no telling what will happen yet with Turkey in it, and other nations on the verge of joining the Allies.”
“There’s an ambulance that seems to be in trouble, Jack!” exclaimed Amos, pointing down the road as they turned a sudden bend.
“Yes, something has happened, for the chauffeur is down, and the nurse also. Let’s quicken our pace a little more, Amos, and see what’s gone wrong.”
“We’ve already shown that we’re capable of helping out in the case of a wounded man,” chuckled Amos, keeping alongside his cousin as the latter started off at a faster walk that almost amounted to a jog trot. “P’raps we’ll also be Johnny-on-the-spot when it comes to patching up a bursted tire, or the crippling of some part of the motor.”
“Well, both of us happen to know a little about auto motors,” admitted the other, “so that wouldn’t be so queer, after all. But here we are.”
“Gee! the nurse is a rosy-cheeked English girl, all right,” muttered Amos. “If I had the bad luck to get hurt I guess the sight of her wholesome face would help me a heap to recover. See how she smiles and beckons to us, would you, Jack? She must think we look like we could help them out of the hole.”
Amos thrust out his chest just a trifle more as he said this. Really there is nothing that can awaken a boy’s conceit as much as confidence expressed in his ability by another, whether this takes the shape of words or looks.
Upon reaching the spot where the ambulance stood on one side of the road they quickly learned what was wrong. After all, it was only a punctured tire; but while the Belgian boy who had been at the wheel may have been able to guide the car, and carry out the duties of a chauffeur fairly well, he seemed to be something of a sad bungler when it came to making ordinary repairs.
Jack instantly realized this when he came up; and if he had failed to do so the first words of the pretty English Red Cross nurse would have convinced him.
“He is making a terrible mess of it, I’m afraid,” was what she said. “All the chauffeurs passing are in such great haste to get on I haven’t been able to secure any assistance. This boy is green at the work; he was picked up on the road when the regular driver was taken very sick and had to be left behind. Would you mind taking a look, and seeing what needs to be done?”