e was taking
a new interest in his work, and thereafter made no distinction between
Germans and Frenchmen in his work of mercy.

"All during that desperate fighting little Lucien was a familiar
figure on the battlefield. He really performed many heroic deeds. Now
and then, overcome by fright, he would dash for a tree, but these
flights were becoming fewer. He began to feel a pride in the work he
was doing and this pride of achievement and the new spirit of
patriotism that had been aroused within him served to keep him up and
gave him new courage. Before that day of suffering came to an end
there was none on the battlefield more heroic and courageous than
little Lucien.

"How many wounded men the lad had rescued from the field of battle no
one knew, but there were many of them, among them two majors and three
captains.

"Just before nightfall the French made a great charge. Lucien was well
out between the lines when the charge started. The Germans put down a
'curtain of fire,' hoping in this way to stop the charge. And little
Lucien and his wheelbarrow were fairly caught in it. A shell hit the
barrow and blew it, with a wounded soldier, into bits. Lucien was
hurled into the air and fell several yards away. His own comrades
charged right over him as they passed. Those near enough to hear
caught a faint cry from the lad.

"'Vive la France!' were the words they heard him utter.

"Stretcher bearers, following the charging men, picked the lad up and
tenderly bore him back. They saw that he was mortally wounded. While
they were dressing his wounds, Lucien tugged feebly at the surgeon's
blouse. The surgeon leaned over, for the little fellow's voice was
very weak.

"'Lucien will climb no more trees,' murmured the lad.

"'No, my brave boy,' answered the surgeon.

"'Is Lucien brave, monsieur?'

"'There are no braver. The deeds of valor you have this day performed
will live long after you, little soldier.'

"A smile that was radiant with happiness appeared on the face of the
dying boy.

"'Lucien is no longer a coward,' he repeated several times. 'No longer
a coward. Vive la France!' he cried, half raising himself.

"The surgeon gently laid him back and kissed the lad on both cheeks,
but Lucien did not know. He was beyond the touch of human sympathy."

CHAPTER XII

THE HERO OF THE GUNS

"The patriotism of nearly all these children of France is something
that you boys and girls cannot fully understand. No