CHAPTER VIII

THE CHILD DESPATCH BEARER


"You already have heard of some of the heroic little despatch bearers
of France," said Captain Favor. "I shall now tell you of little Henri,
one of the bravest and most resourceful of them all.

"Despatch carrying is a desperate business, all of it exposing the
bearers to enemy fire at least part of the time, for most of the work
of these brave men is in the open where the enemy can see them. Some
go on foot, others on fast motorcycles. Ordinarily they travel in
pairs, so that in case one be killed the other may take the message
and hasten on with it to its destination. Henri, however, traveled
alone.

"The Germans, at some distance from the principal battle line and at
one end of it, had advanced several miles into French territory, and,
spreading out, had covered considerable ground. They were making
themselves a nuisance, as they usually did, and a French force was
sent in to drive them back. The French, too, had spread out and the
officer in command, after becoming a little more familiar with
conditions, had made his plans.

"'Now,' said the French colonel, 'what I wish is a man of undoubted
courage, familiar with all this surrounding country, to carry letters
to the commanders of our various units.'