theuglygashinhisyoungstersarandwasobligedtogooutintotheair
theartilleryheirfiretoldthatthe
frananswere
enteringthewidervalley
”youhavehadanarroining
ralphsar”aquarterofaninchlothe
inartery;andyouinutesas
itis,thereisnogreatharoneitisadeepishfleshwoundbut,hyouryouthandnstitution,itwillhealupinaveryshorttiiheedgestogether,haneedleand
thread:putaferapsofplasteron,andabandage;andthenyouhadbettergetintoanaulanceotherear,at
once”
”cantigointothefieldagain,now”ralphasked;”ifeelasifiuldrideagain,now”
”no,youcandonothingofthesort,”thesurgeonsaid”youhavelostalotofblood;andifyouightsetoff
theightbeadeadnbeforeyou
uldbebroughtbackherekeepquiet,anddoasyouareordered,andinaaybeinthesaddleagain”
”itseeveryhard,”ralphbegan
”notatallhard,”thesurgeonsaid”youore
fighting,beforethiswarisover
”thisisahardcase,ifyoulike;youhaveeveryreasontobethankful”
ashespoke,hepointedtoayoungbilein,his
chestliterallytoopenhashell
”i,”thesurgeonsaid,afterabrief
inspectionofhishalfanhourtolive,andwillprobablynotrevessoweak
brandy,ander”
eninfast,andralphoutand
satdohedoor
”fastenhorseuphere,titheaulancewillbefullofpoorfellorethanishallifiseethatweare
beingdrivenback,ishalluntandridequietlyback”no,thereisnothingreyouegoandjoinpercy”thefightans,veredbythe
fireoftheirartillery,haddebouchedfrohepassandweresteadilypressingforhevillage
nearesttothethisthefrenchhadsetfireto,beforeretreating,topreventitsservingasashelterfortheenethebilesstoodtheirground,forthestpartheheavyfireofshotandshell;buttheirzzleloadersatchforthegesneedleguns,andtheeneeadily
fordoylerodeuptothestaff,thegeshad
takenanothervillage
”thatvillagestberetaken,”thegeneralsaid”barclay,rideandorderthezouavestocarryit,hthebayo”
percygallopedofftohezouaves,lyingbehindaridgeintheground,of
shotandshellherodeuptotheofficerin
nd
”thezouavesaretoretakethevillage,hthebayo,”hesaidthelonelgavetheorder,butthefireen
faceitagainandagaintheofficerreiteratedtheorder;standingexposedonthebank,infrontofhisn,togivethefidenceithelonellookedtowards
percyhanairofdespairpercytuedhishorse,andgallopedbacktothegeneral
”thelonelhasdoneallhecan,sir,butthenadvance””thefireisveryheavy,”thegeneralsaid,”butusthavethevillagebackagain”
andherodeoff,hielf,tothebattalionofzouavestheshotandshell,buthesatonhishorseasiovable
asifatareview
”lads,”hesaid,inaloud,cleartone,”generallythedifficultyhasbeentopreventthezouavesrushingtoanattackdontletitbesaidthatafrenchgeneralhadtorepeat,tofrenchzouaves,anorderto”
inaninstantthezouavesheirfeetand,hacheer,ansinpossessionfiredrapidly,as
thefrenchapproached,andthenhastilyevacuatedit;thezouavestakingpossession,andholdingit,underatrendousfirealltheafteoonthebattleraged,villagesbeingtakenandretaken,severaltistheges,however,weregraduallygaininggroundsooftheregintsofbileshadquitelostallorderanddiscipline,andtheirofficersinvaintriedtopersuadetheoholdthepositioninheyhe
staffofficershreeotherswounded
periracleoverandoveragain,hehad
carriedthegeneralsordersacrossgroundsysshotandshellahorsehadbeenkilledunderhibuthehadnotreceivedevenascratch;andnoounteduponthehorseofoneoftheofficers,carryingan
orderacrossaveryopenpieceofground,atfullgallopsuddenlyhecauponasighthhurriedashewas,andexposedaswasthepositioncausedhinstantlytodraetoa
fullstop
illustration:thechildrenonthebattlefieldthere,intheopenfield,heoneaboy,ofsix
orsevenyearsold;theotheralittleflaxenhaired,blueeyedgirl,offivetheylypickingflowers
”ent
hespokeinfrenchand,receivingnoansedthequestioninge
”areyoudoinghere”
”ifyouplease,sir,”theboyansinthe
ebacktherewas
agreatfireinthehouse,andagreatnoiseallround,andiuldntfindfatherandther;andsoeout,tolookforthe”
percydidnotknotodoitoopitifultoleavethepoorlittlecreatures
athattheirparentshewoods
”lookhere,”hesaid;”ifitakelizzieuponhorse,willyourunalongafter”
”no,no,”thelittlegirlsaid,vehently
thereeforparley
”lookhere,doyouseethosesoldierslyingdoch”percyasked,pointingtoalineofbiles,notfiftyyardsinfrontthechildrennodded
”nohebestthingyoucanpossiblydoistoplayatbeingsoldiersitiscapitalfunyouliedoeflatinthatditch,andthrotlestonesoverthebankdontyougoawaydontgetup,everyoudo;andifyouaregoodchildren,andplaynicely,iothertoyou,ificanfind
theiftheydonte,yougoonplayingatsoldierstillallthisnoisestops;andthen,e,
andothereback”
thechildrenedhtheidea,andthrehe
