“Just then another huge shell struck the ground near the boy and burst with a terrific crash and roar that shook the earth for a long distance all about.  The brave child was again hit by a splinter and this time mortally wounded.  He knew that the end was near and his thoughts went back to his parents, to his home in the little village which he had left to go to war only a short time before.

“Rene roused himself with a supreme effort and again began to roll toward the trench.

“Stretcher bearers, observing his plight, ran to his rescue, themselves unmindful of the storm of steel that was sweeping the plain back of the trenches.  They tenderly picked the child up and bore him safely to the trench, where he was placed in a first-aid station in a bomb-proof dugout.

“’Tell monsieur le Capitaine that I have orders for him—­important orders,’ gasped the little soldier.  ’Tell him to come quickly, for I shall not long be able to tell him what I have to say.’

“The captain, having been hurriedly summoned, hastened to the dugout.  He gathered the dying lad tenderly in his arms, and, placing an ear close to the boy’s lips, received from Rene the orders of the colonel, down to the last detail.

“The final word of these orders was Rene’s last.  He died in the arms of the captain, who tenderly laid him down.

“‘Thus dies another hero of France,’ murmured the officer, striding from the dugout, making no effort to hide the tears that were trickling down both cheeks.

“This little hero, my friends, offers a lesson in courage and devotion that each of you will do well always to remember,” said Captain Favor in conclusion.  “Tomorrow I shall tell you another story, if the weather permits of my coming out here.  Au revoir, little friends.”

CHAPTER VII

SAVED BY A CHILD’S WIT

“This time I will tell you about a quick-witted little French girl,” said Captain Favor.  “She was a stout-hearted little woman, full of spirit and as fearless as she was keen, as you shall see.

“It is not only the French lads who are quick-witted and brave.  The girls are fully as much so, and all are filled with the same wonderful spirit of patriotism and love of country, as you already have learned from the stories I have told you.

“This little woman’s name was Jeanne; she had just turned eleven years when the incidents I am about to relate occurred.  For some time the news had been coming to the village in which she lived of the wicked deeds of a company of German lancers.  These lancers were roving from village to village, stealing whatever they could lay their hands on, and mistreating the women and children.  It was a terrible thing to do, but nothing new for the Prussians.  As in other towns of which I have told you, all the able-bodied men of this village had gone to the war.

“To guard against surprise the inhabitants of Jeanne’s home town had placed watchers on the outskirts of the village that the people might be notified in advance of the approach of the enemy’s detachments.