!Tention Part 24

"No," said Pen. "But don't talk; he's close here."

The officer approached his prisoners now, closely followed by one of his men, whose _galons_ showed that he was a sergeant.

"Badly wounded, eh?" said the officer in French.

"Yes, sir; too bad to stand."

"The worse for him," said the officer. "Well, we can't take wounded men with us; we have enough of our own."

"Yes, sir," said the sergeant; and Pen felt the blood seem to run cold through his veins.

And then curiously enough there was a feeling of relief in the knowledge that his wounded comrade could not understand the words he had grasped at once.

"We shall go back to camp in half an hour," continued the officer; and then running his eye over Pen as he sat up by Punch's side, "This fellow all right?"

"Yes, sir."

"See to his fastenings. I leave him to you."

"But surely, sir," cried Pen, in very good French, "you are not going to have my poor companion shot in cold blood because he has the misfortune to be wounded?"

"Eh, do you understand French?"

"Yes, sir; every word you have said."

"But you are not an officer?"

"I have my feelings, sir, and I appeal to you as an officer and a gentleman to save that poor fellow. It would be murder, and not the act of a soldier."

"Humph!" grunted the officer. "You boys should have stayed at home.-- Here, sergeant, carry the lad into camp. Find room for him in the ambulance.--There, sir, are you satisfied now?" he continued to Pen.

"Yes, sir," replied Pen quickly; "satisfied that I am in the presence of a brave French officer. G.o.d bless you for this!"

The officer nodded and turned away, the sergeant stopping by the prisoners.

"Here, I say," whispered Punch, "what was all that talking about?"

"Only arranging about how you were to be carried into camp, Punch,"

replied Pen.

"Gammon! Don't you try and gull me. I know," panted the boy excitedly.

"I could not understand the lingo; but you were begging him not to have me shot, and he gave orders to this 'ere sergeant to carry out what he said. You are trying to hide it from me so as I shouldn't know. But you needn't. I should like to have gone out like our other chaps have-- shot fair in the field; but if it's to be shot as a prisoner, well, I mean to take it like a man."

The boy's voice faltered for a few moments as he uttered the last words, and then he added almost in a whisper, "I mean, if I can, for I'm awful weak just now. But you'll stand by me, comrade, and I think I will go through it as I ought. And you will tell the lads when you get back that I didn't show the white feather, but went out just like a fellow ought?"

"That won't be now, Punch," said Pen, leaning over him. "I am not deceiving you. I appealed to the officer, and he gave orders at once that you were to be carried by the men to their camp and placed in one of the ambulance wagons."

"Honour?" cried Punch excitedly. "Honour bright," replied Pen. "But that means taking me away from you," cried the boy, with his voice breaking.

"Yes; but to go into hospital and be well treated."

"Oh, but I don't want to go like that," cried the boy wildly. "Can't you ask the officer--can't you tell him that--oh, here--you--we two mustn't--mustn't be--" For the sergeant now joined them with a couple of men carrying a rough litter; and as Punch, almost speechless now, caught at his wrist and clung to him tightly, he looked down in the prisoner's wildly appealing eyes.

"Why, what's the matter with the boy?" growled the sergeant roughly.

"Does he think he's going to be shot?"

"He's badly hurt, sir," said Pen quietly, "and can't bear being separated from me."

"Oh, that's it, is it, sir?" said the sergeant. "My faith, but you speak good French! Tell him that I'll see that he's all right. What's his hurt--bayonet?"

"No," said Pen, smiling. "A French bullet--one of your men aimed too well."

"Ha, ha! Yes, we know how to shoot. Poor fellow! Why, I have just such a boy as he.--Lift him up gently, lads.--Humph! He has fainted."

For poor Punch had held out bravely to the last; but nature was too strong even for his British pluck.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

IN MISERY.

"I say, Pen, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here. What do you want?"

"Want you to turn me round so as I can look out of the door. What made you put me like this?"

"It wasn't my doing. You were put so that you might be more comfortable."

"But I am not more comfortable, and it's so jolly dark. I like to be able to look out of the door if I wake in the night."

"Hush! Don't talk so loudly."

"Why not? There's n.o.body to hear. But just turn me over first."

"Hush! There are three or four other people to hear," whispered Pen.

"You are half-asleep yet. Don't you understand, Punch?"

"Understand--understand what?" said the poor fellow, subduing his voice in obedience to his companion's words.

"I must tell you, I suppose."

"Tell me? Why, of course! Oh, I begin to understand now. Have I been off my head a bit?"

"Yes; you were very much upset when the French officer was with us, and fainted away."

"Phee-ew!" whistled the boy softly. "Oh, it's all coming back now. The French came, and knocked over that Spanish chap, and I thought that they were going to take me away and shoot me. Why, they didn't, then!

That's all right. Yes, I remember now. My head was all in a muddledum.