bad. But never mind, lad, go to the others; they need you more than do
I.'

"'No, you shall come with me. Let me get my back to yours.'

"'You cannot carry me.'

"'Jean is stronger than he looks.' With that the lad got the officer
to a sitting position and, placing his back against the lieutenant's,
his arms under those of the officer, he straightened up. Of course, he
was not strong enough to carry the man, but he was able to drag him,
and with almost as much comfort to the wounded one as if he were on a
stretcher.

"In this manner Jean managed to get his friend to the trench, whence
the officer was taken to a first-aid station, then later in the day
placed in an ambulance and started for a hospital in the rear.

"The road over which they were carried, for Jean had remained with
lieutenant André, was shell swept, the Germans knowing very well that
ambulances with wounded men were there.

"To the hospital went the two, and there, side by side, they lay in
cots, for at last Jean had been struck and wounded by a shell that
wrecked the ambulance just before they had reached their destination.
The driver was killed but the Little Soldier of Mercy and his friend
escaped, with only a shaking up for the lieutenant and a slight wound
in the leg of Jean.

"Lieutenant André, on account of his wounds, was disabled for life,