atiently. 'Do you shoot or do you
die?'

"'I shoot!' cried the little French boy, his voice high pitched and
shrill.

"Pierre turned like a flash and, raising the weapon, pointed it
straight at the German captain and pulled the trigger.

"No report followed. The rifle had missed fire. And ere Pierre could
make another try the weapon was snatched from his hands and a blow
from the captain's fist again laid him low.

"'Dog!' raged the Prussian officer. 'Now you _shall_ die, and yonder
French sergeant shall be a witness to your punishment. Strip the
blinder from that man's eyes! Bind this boy!'

"'There is no need to bind me. I shall not run away. I am not afraid
to die for France. I am sorry only that I did not kill you,' answered
the lad stoutly. 'I am young--I can better be spared than others.'

"There was no reply to this, but the soldiers were ordered to lead the
child out into the center of the square.

"'If you run you will be shot just the same,' warned the captain.

"'A Frenchman never runs away,' was the spirited retort.

"The firing squad took its place, eight men comprising the squad.

"'Make ready! Take aim!'

"Pierre faced them fearlessly, a smile on his face, his shoulders set
well back, presenting a pathetic but brave little figure as he stood
out there alone, facing death, but unafraid.

"'Fire!'

"'Vive la France!' shouted the lad, waving his cap over his head.

"Eight rifles crashed in volley. And the little figure of brave Pierre
crumpled down to the ground. He had died gloriously. He had died a
man, despite his tender years.

"Wheeling, the squad dispatched the sergeant in the same way and their
desperate work was finished."

CHAPTER VI

A LITTLE SOLDIER OF FRANCE

The children were eagerly waiting to give the Captain a welcome when
he limped out to meet his young friends on the lawn next morning.
There were no tardy ones at these sittings, in fact so interested were
they in the wonderful stories they were hearing, that they nearly
always were ahead of time.

"We shall begin at once with a story that I know will thrill you all,"
said the Captain, as Joe Funk assisted him into his chair.

"The little hero that I shall tell you about today is one of the most
remarkable of the child patriots of France. I think you will agree
with me in that after you have heard the story.

"His name was Rene. Rene had been with the army for some time, though
he was only fourteen years o