The Boy Volunteers with the French AirmenWard, Kenneth
History
The Boy Volunteers with the French Airmen
Ward, Kenneth
Airmen -- France -- Juvenile fiction; War stories; World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations -- Juvenile fiction
"We do hope you will be successful," said one of the nurses. "Won't you
tell us where you are from?"
"We are from New York," said Alfred.
"Then you are not English?" she asked.
"Oh, no," replied Alfred. "But that doesn't make any difference. It's
just the same as though we were English. We want to help out."
There was a merry roar of laughter at this, and Ralph immediately chimed
in with a sort of explanation: "The Germans didn't treat us right, when
they captured us, and, anyhow, they had no business to attack Belgium."
"Good for you," said a sweet little miss. "We like Americans, and
especially those like you who have that spirit."
The vans covered the ground to the general hospital in quick time, and
the boys were really sorry when the van drew up before the building, but
they quickly recognized the place where they had accompanied the injured
aviators the previous day.
"Ralph, we ought to go in and see the lieutenant and Jack," said Alfred.
"Who are they?" interposed the doctor.
"Why, they fell with their machine yesterday, and we helped them out,"
said Alfred.
"What was the lieutenant's name?" asked the doctor.
"Why, we don't know; we forgot to ask for it; but maybe they will let us
in," said Ralph.
"Come along," said the doctor. "We'll find a way to get in."
They followed him up the steps, and marched to the office, where the
doctor was greeted by many of those present.
"Who was it that met with an accident yesterday?" he asked.
"Lieutenant Winston," was the reply.
"And was he badly hurt?" almost shrieked the sweet little nurse who had
accompanied the party in the van.
"No; he is getting along well," said the attending physician. "He owes
his life to a couple of brave lads, who happened to be near. He has been
anxious to see the boys, and has asked where they were."
"We are the ones who helped him," said Ralph. "We want to see him; may
we?"
"Oh, thank you, thank you so much," said the nurse.
"Do you know him?" inquired Alfred.
"He is my brother; may we go to him at once?" she asked.
"I will take you to him," said the physician.
"So you are Miss Winston?" said Alfred. "Isn't it funny how we happened
to meet you?"
She almost hugged the boys in her joy at the news, and at her good
fortune in thus meeting the boys who were instrumental in saving her
brother.
The lieutenant saw his sister approaching arm in arm with the two boys.
The greeting was a most affectionate one.
"I met the two boys in Dunkirk; they just happened to get into our van.
We learned after we got here what they had done. Isn't it noble of
them?" she said.
"I have tried to find them all day," said the lieutenant, and he pressed
the hands of the boys. "Yes, I was in an awfully tight place when the
boys found me; but I am all right now."
They remained with the lieutenant and his sister for more than an hour.
They had entirely forgotten their appointment with Tom. It was nearly
twelve o'clock.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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