Searchlights were on him nearly all the time, while bullets whistled past him and shells ploughed up the ground. He still pegged away at his noble work, until a bullet found him as he was bringing in his twentieth man--an English Captain. He had just managed to roll into the crater with his burden and then collapsed. The Red Cross picked them all up the next afternoon. Henare was in the hospital when he came to. He was staring wildly at the man in the next cot--a big, brown man, bandaged, but grinning away cheerfully. [Illustration] Yes! it was Wiremu all right. He had finally enlisted and the military training had made a man of him. In a desperate battle Wiremu was badly wounded, and was one of the first men that Henare had carried to the crater. When Henare had got over the shock of meeting Wiremu, he asked after Kiri. "Oh, she all right Henare, when I left Noo Zealan. She no forget you. She te brick." And so, far into the night, the gentle murmur of musical Maori was heard as these two wounded heroes discussed the war, and old time quarrels, and Kiri's loyalty to Henare, and also the good times they themselves would have together in New Zealand, when the war was won. [Illustration] _VIII._ HOME AGAIN! It was a very happy Maori soldier who was in London a month later, preparing to go before the King and receive the noble and much-coveted badge of V.C. When Henare left the kindly French hospital, Wiremu was getting over his wound,--more quickly than he wished, for he had completely fallen in love with Nurse Marie, and was using all the arts and devices known to the civilized Maori, to win the affections of that charming little angel of mercy. As for Henare himself, he was not again passed for active service, but received orders to return to New Zealand, after he had obtained the highest badge of honour at the hands of the King. On the day fixed for the ceremony he was all excitement. He put his things on wrong, and had to take them off again; lost belongings, and wanted to fight those that he suspected of taking them. But the most confusing time was when they were telling him how to behave at the ceremony and in the presence of His Majesty. He couldn't remember for five minutes what he had to say and do. At last he said to the officer instructing him-- "Py korry, mate, I gettin' too shaky. More better you get te Wikitoria Cross an bring him to me--an I get home quick." "That would never do, my boy; half the honour is having the medal pinned on by the King himself." "My wurra, I tink you right. We better go now; King Hori he get too tire waitin' for us." Though still weak, Henare had lost all his nervousness when they arrived at Buckingham Palace grounds. He watched everything with the keenest interest, and did not hesitate to quaintly express his opinion about anything that took his fancy. [Illustration]