For fear lest the revengeful Turks might seek to shell the camp after
their recent serious defeat it was deemed unwise to use much light. Men
went about with electric hand torches, where they had them, and sought
out the wounded. Then these were placed on stretchers and carried down
to where a temporary field hospital had been arranged, so that their
injuries might be cared for.
As the Territorials had for the most part fought within the line of
their own trenches it was not difficult to find those who were in need
of tender care. Jack and Amos were surprised at the number, for they
had not imagined the fight to be of such a desperate nature. Evidently
the Turks had attacked with their customary dash and recklessness,
even throwing themselves into the enemy trenches to grapple with the
invaders of Islam territory.
There were also quite a number of gallant fellows who would never
again, alas, return to their far-distant native shores. They had
yielded up their young lives in the great cause for which they believed
the Allies were fighting--universal freedom from the horrible idea of
militarism. The boys felt sad when they gazed upon these victims of the
Turks’ ferocity; and deep down in their hearts both of them fervently
hoped and prayed that the sacrifice of so many valuable lives on both
sides would not have been made in vain.
They soon found themselves busily engaged. Having already had
considerable experience in handling a stretcher, they knew just how to
go about the caring for the wounded. Indeed, it was doubtful whether
any of those among whom they took their place carried themselves more
admirably.
Back and forth they went, their feet dragging a little, for they were
very tired, but determined not to flinch while another poor fellow
remained to be taken to where he could be looked after.
So, by degrees, the last of the wounded had been found out. The boys
had come down with a poor chap whom they had found trying to keep from
bleeding to death after having made a rude tourniquet of his large silk
bandana handkerchief, possibly a last present from his girl at home.
Being somewhat experienced themselves in the surgical arts, the boys
had hastened first of all to rearrange this, so that it would do its
work better; after which they had placed him on the litter, and made
their way down to the emergency hospital with their burden, the man
having fainted in the meantime from utter weakness and exhaustion.
There was really no need of them climbing the rise again, for word had
been passed around that all the wounded had now been taken care of.
Jack could give a pretty good guess what was on the mind of his chum
when he saw Amos begin to glance eagerly around as soon as they found
themselves amidst the busy scenes of the field hospital.
“He is thinking of Frank, and the chance of learning something about
him here,” was what flitted through the brain of Jack as they bore
their groaning burden toward the place where several army surgeons were
working steadily.
To tell the truth the closer Amos came to realizing his ambition, which
as we know was to find his brother, the greater his fears arose. He
dreaded lest after all his long search he might discover Frank just
a little too late. The daring aviator was accustomed to taking such
fearful chances in his chosen vocation that there must always be heavy
odds against his coming through alive.
And when Amos saw the steady stream of men in khaki being carried to
the operating tables he stared hard at each and every one as though
really afraid deep down in his brotherly heart he was fated to find
Frank there, a mangled wreck, and utterly beyond the task of going
back home to say good-bye to the father who yearned to receive his
forgiveness.
Jack had an idea just then, which he hastened to communicate to his
chum.
“Take your chance and ask the head surgeon about Frank,” was his
suggestion.
“I believe I will,” replied the other, not without a perceptible
shudder. “He might know of him, for of course most of the news of the
camp is heard at the headquarters of the surgical staff. Thank you for
speaking about it, Jack.”
They soon found means to dispose of their burden, and both boys were
relieved when they heard that by now the field had been well scoured by
men with stretchers, and that apparently the last of the wounded had
been brought in.
The Turks really behaved better than the boys had dreamed would be the
case. Indeed, many times they heard some of the Allies speak in terms
of respect and admiration for the generosity of the Turkish soldiers,
and often bitterly comparing it with the ferocity and apparent cruelty
they had met with on the part of others among the Central Powers
fighters.
So Amos, watching for an opportunity, presently approached the head
surgeon. This party was a grizzled veteran who doubtless had seen much
service in his vocation, and at the outbreak of the Great War had only
too gladly placed his knowledge at the disposition of the King.
He must have noticed the recent work of the two lads at the time they
bore in the wounded Australian, for, as Amos approached, the fatigued
surgeon actually smiled and held out his hand.
At another time Amos might have shuddered at seeing signs of blood
on the fingers extended in hospitable greeting; but by now he had
gone through so much that was terrible and nerve stretching that the
experience had hardened him to such things. Besides the boy was rapidly
becoming what might be called philosophical, as happens to all those
who are brought in close contact with varied scenes of suffering.
“I’m glad you’ve given me the chance to thank you, my brave lad, for
your assistance,” said the head surgeon as he grasped the hand of Amos.
“I do not know who you two boys are, for somehow you are different from
our English lads, but there’s little doubt your hearts are with us in
this terrible carnage.”
“We are both American boys,” said Amos hastily, his eyes sparkling with
pleasure at this friendly and hearty greeting, which was so different
from what a good many Britishers would have exhibited, for they seem
to repress their feelings until outsiders come to look upon them as
cold-blooded people, which is not the case at all.
“That pleases me again,” said the surgeon, “for my wife was of your
country, and I have spent many happy months visiting America. But
pardon my curiosity, please; what can have brought two lads of your age
over here in the midst of the fighting, and particularly on Gallipoli
Peninsula, where one would least expect to meet you?”
That gave the anxious Amos the opening he wanted, and so he immediately
started in to tell of his long search for his brother, and just why,
at that particular time above all others, it was of the greatest
importance that Frank should return home with him, even though he
meant to come back to his duty again.
“Tell me his name,” said the surgeon, “possibly I may happen to know of
him even if I have never met him personally.”
His surprise was great when the boy proudly let it be known that the
brother whom he sought had established a wonderful reputation for valor
among the Allies--indeed, that he even had a price set on his head by
the Germans, who had learned to fear him above all the dashing birdmen
who served in the ranks of the French and the British.
“Indeed, you astonish me,” remarked the kindly head surgeon; “it must
give you great satisfaction to hear on every side that this wonderful
brother of yours is accounted the best aviator we have. Far and near
I have heard his praises sung, and if any class of men can appreciate
true bravery surely soldiers may. I heard only yesterday that he
was working with us now on Gallipoli, but as yet I have not had the
pleasure of making his acquaintance. In a way that may be accounted
fortunate for him, since many come to me who would rather not.”
Amos was, of course, a bit disappointed. He had anticipated meeting
with better success than this.
“I thank you very much for what you have said, Doctor,” he remarked,
controlling his emotion. “We expect to make inquiries, and before a
great while I shall hope to run across Frank, who can hardly hide his
light under a bushel here, for he will be either with the fleet at some
island rendezvous, or else on shore;” and as the surgeon’s services
were required just then nothing more could be said.
Amos still lingered, not that he liked to see the gruesome sights, but
from some reason he himself could hardly have explained had he been
asked.
Just then two men who had an empty stretcher came in. Evidently they
had searched in vain for a last victim, and failing to find any meant
to give up the task.
One of them strode over to an army surgeon who, with shirt sleeves
rolled up, had been industriously at work, though just then business
seemed slack. Jack noticed that this person was a young fellow with
a face well tanned by the air and sun. He had a rough bandage around
his arm, which was stained by blood, and it was evident that while
wounded slightly himself he had insisted on making use of his undoubted
strength to carry some of the boys to the hospital.
The surgeon greeted him as though he looked on him as some sort of
hero; for he began to quickly undo the hastily placed bandage so as to
examine the cut made by a bayonet or flying shrapnel.
Amos uttered a little cry that made his chum turn and stare at him. He
found the other focussing his eyes on the darkened face of the young
man, while his hands were closed fiercely.
“Frank! oh! Frank!” almost shouted Amos.
At that the other whirled around and stared at the boy, who was now
advancing towards him with outstretched hands.
“Don’t you know me, Frank?” cried Amos hoarsely.
“It’s--your--own--brother--Amos!”
[Illustration: “Don’t you know me, Frank?” cried Amos.--_Page 308_]
At hearing that astounding assertion, the young aviator looked as
though he believed himself dreaming. To meet his younger brother here
in the midst of bloody scenes, Amos, the “kid” whom he only remembered
as a little fellow, was almost beyond his comprehension.
But in another moment Amos had reached his side, and putting out his
arms, Frank hugged the lad to his heart, regardless of the pain such a
movement must have caused him.
“What brought you over here, boy?” he demanded, as soon as he could
catch his breath.
“Oh! we have been searching for you everywhere,” replied Amos, beaming
upon the brother of whom he was so proud. “All the way across Belgium,
and most of the way along the lines of battle in France, always
arriving just too late to meet you. Get your arm looked after, Frank,
and then I’ve got a thousand things to tell you. I’m so happy I feel as
if I were flying through space, just as we saw you do when you threw
those bombs on the Turks yesterday.”
“What, were you there with the Australians through the fierce battle?”
demanded Frank, hardly able to believe his ears, for to his mind Amos
was still the same “kid” the latter had been when he left home some
years back, and he could not realize that the boy had grown to be so
tall and stout.
“Yes, and we helped carry in the wounded afterwards; but you shall
hear it all, only on condition that you let the surgeon attend to your
wound, which looks like a bad one, too.”
“The only tough thing about it is I need that arm every time I go up,
and it’s going to cripple me for some time, I’m afraid,” complained
Frank, bitterly.
“Then you must take a vacation, and go back home with me, if only for a
visit,” said Amos, in a thrilling tone. “Father is nearing his end, we
fear, Frank, and he is crazy to see you just once again before he dies.
You surely wouldn’t refuse him the last chance to ask you to forgive
him; for, Frank, what was lost has been found just lately, back of the
drawer in the desk where it lay all these years!”
Upon hearing how his name had been cleared, Frank seemed to draw in a
long breath. It evidently meant much to him to have that stern father
know he was innocent of the crime that had been laid at his door. He
put a hand to his head--the army surgeon was already busily engaged
with the other arm.
“I’d rather wait until I hear the whole story, Amos, before deciding,”
he said, presently. “Though I want to tell you right now I’m sorely
inclined to do what you are asking of me. With this wound I’d be of
little use here for some time; and it wouldn’t take more than a month
or so to run over and come back. Yes, I own up that I would never
forgive myself if father passed away, and I refused to give him a
chance to see me again after all these years. Most of the bitterness
has left my heart in the passage of time, and if I survived this war I
would probably have made the first advances toward patching up a peace
with father.”
This made Amos smile broadly. After all he had undergone, victory
seemed only the sweeter to the boy. He introduced Jack to his brother,
who, it seemed, remembered the cousin. Then, later on, the three sought
a secure nook where the story could be told.
Frank listened with amazement when he heard the many adventures that
had befallen the two brave American boys during their long continued
search for him. Many times did he stop the narrator to ask questions.
He even viewed the wonderful paper signed by K. of K. with due
reverence; for like most of the soldiers fighting for King George and
the cause of the Allies, he had come to believe Kitchener the mainstay
of the whole war, and the one whose tactics would eventually win out.
At last there was really nothing else to say, and Amos waited to hear
Frank’s final decision. The other thrust out his hand to his younger
brother.
“After the wonderful way you’ve followed me over the most of Europe,
Amos, my dear brother, it would be a crime for me to refuse your
request. Yes, I’ll start back home with you as soon as we can get
away. Perhaps they may show me some few favors in return for what I’ve
done, and the road will be made easier. But remember, I must come back
again when I’ve seen my father. There is yet work for me here, and my
heart is in it!”
Upon hearing these words, Amos, boy fashion, jumped up and threw his
hat into the air. From that moment, the future looked rosy. Little did
our heroes guess, when last on Gallipoli, that the daring enterprise
would be frustrated--long before this reaches the eye of the reader--by
the steady current which swiftly flowed from the Sea of Marmora toward
the Mediterranean. It was this current that enabled the shrewd German
engineers to float innumerable mines which wrecked or destroyed many a
battleship attempting to force the narrow passage.
Jack, Amos and Frank left for England, having been accorded a passage
on a returning collier, thanks to the influence of some of Frank’s
admirers. As has been said, no one then dreamed of failure; indeed,
the American aviator was entreated to hasten back to his field of duty
unless he wanted to arrive too late and find everything carried in a
glorious rush.
In this happy condition we will say good-bye to the American boys whose
fortunes we have followed through the battlefields of war-stricken
Europe. It may be our good fortune to meet them again in the pages of
some future volume; but for the present we must be patient and wait.
THE END.
* * * * *
Transcriber’s Notes:
Illustrations have been moved to paragraph breaks near where they are
mentioned.
Punctuation has been made consistent.
Variations in spelling and hyphenation were retained as they appear in
the original publication, except that obvious typographical errors have
been corrected.
The one footnote has been moved to the end of its chapter and relabeled.
The following changes were made:
p. 38: combing changed to coaming (the coaming of)
p. 116: metal changed to mettle (of mettle they)
p. 220: phase changed to faze (doesn’t faze him)