time I've nearly come to harm
through your _carelessness_, if you want to call it that. I tell you I
won't stand for it! Mind, I don't make any accusations; and I don't
claim you are to blame for a lot of things that have happened to me
lately, but if things don't stop, why, you are going to be sorry!
There won't be any revolvers going off, and your bed won't go down, and
your medicine won't get exchanged for poison, like it sometimes
happens. I shall just take you out back of the next wire entanglement,
and I will give you a _good beating up_, Velo. I remember I used to
have to do it when we were about four years old. It used to do you a
lot of good, and I suppose all these years since you have had no one to
keep you where you belonged. I won't do this, you understand, unless
you get careless with guns and things again. You hear, Velo?"

Velo made no reply.

The two boys carefully bearing the stretcher tramped along in silence.

"You hear, Velo?" said Zaidos again. "Honestly, the more I think of
it, the madder I get!"

"You stop your nonsense!" said Velo suddenly over his shoulder. His
voice took on a whine. "What makes you act so, Zaidos? I'm your
cousin, and I should think you would be ashamed of the things you say
to me, just as if I haven't stuck right beside you every minute, and as
if I had not done everything in the world that I possibly could do to
help you. You don't treat me well, Zaidos!"

"I do, too," said Zaidos, stung by this injustice. "I should think I
did; but how do you treat me?"

They reached the entrance to the First Aid Station and gave their
unconscious burden into the hands waiting to receive him. The doctor
scanned the wound.

"Well, boys," he said, "you have saved this man all right." He turned
the bright light on the still, white face. "My heavens!" he exclaimed.

"Who is it?" asked the nurse.

Velo looked at the face, and spoke before the doctor could reply.

"I know him," he said. "His name is John Smith."

The doctor was working rapidly with restoratives.

"John Smith?" he repeated. "This is the Prince of Teck's oldest son,
and his brother was killed an hour ago. We must keep this fellow
alive," he went on, doggedly. "First time I met him he was just an
hour old. He won't go out of this world yet if _I_ can help it!"

The boys went outside and for a moment sat down on the ground to rest.

"What do you suppose made him do that?" said Velo musingly.

"