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meet a…plenty of guards an' provost… guards； an' one thing an' another。
Ho！ there they go with an off'cer； I guess。 Look at his hand a…draggin'。
He 's got all th' war he wants； I bet。 He won't be talkin' so big about his
reputation an' all when they go t' sawin' off his leg。 Poor feller！ My
brother 's got whiskers jest like that。 How did yeh git 'way over here；
anyhow？ Your reg'ment is a long way from here； ain't it？ Well； I guess
we can find it。 Yeh know there was a boy killed in my comp'ny t'…day
that I thought th' world an' all of。 Jack was a nice feller。 By ginger； it
hurt like thunder t' see ol' Jack jest git knocked flat。 We was a…standin'
purty peaceable fer a spell； 'though there was men runnin' ev'ry way all
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'round us； an' while we was a…standin' like that； 'long come a big fat feller。
He began t' peck at Jack's elbow； an' he ses： 'Say； where 's th' road t' th'
river？' An' Jack； he never paid no attention； an' th' feller kept on a…
peckin' at his elbow an' sayin'： 'Say； where 's th' road t' th' river？' Jack
was a…lookin' ahead all th' time tryin' t' see th' Johnnies comin' through th'
woods； an' he never paid no attention t' this big fat feller fer a long time；
but at last he turned 'round an' he ses： 'Ah； go t' hell an' find th' road t' th'
river！' An' jest then a shot slapped him bang on th' side th' head。 He
was a sergeant； too。 Them was his last words。 Thunder； I wish we was
sure 'a findin' our reg'ments t'…night。 It 's goin' t' be long huntin'。 But I
guess we kin do it。〃
In the search which followed； the man of the cheery voice seemed to
the youth to possess a wand of a magic kind。 He threaded the mazes of
the tangled forest with a strange fortune。 In encounters with guards and
patrols he displayed the keenness of a detective and the valor of a gamin。
Obstacles fell before him and became of assistance。 The youth； with his
chin still on his breast； stood woodenly by while his companion beat ways
and means out of sullen things。
The forest seemed a vast hive of men buzzing about in frantic circles；
but the cheery man con… ducted the youth without mistakes； until at last he
began to chuckle with glee and self…satisfaction。 〃Ah； there yeh are！ See
that fire？〃
The youth nodded stupidly。
〃Well； there 's where your reg'ment is。 An' now； good…by； ol' boy；
good luck t' yeh。〃
A warm and strong hand clasped the youth's languid fingers for an
instant； and then he heard a cheerful and audacious whistling as the man
strode away。 As he who had so befriended him was thus passing out of
his life； it suddenly oc… curred to the youth that he had not once seen his
face。
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The Red Badge of Courage
CHAPTER XIII。
THE youth went slowly toward the fire in… dicated by his departed
friend。 As he reeled； he bethought him of the welcome his comrades
would give him。 He had a conviction that he would soon feel in his sore
heart the barbed missiles of ridicule。 He had no strength to in… vent a tale；
he would be a soft target。
He made vague plans to go off into the deeper darkness and hide； but
they were all destroyed by the voices of exhaustion and pain from his
body。 His ailments； clamoring； forced him to seek the place of food and
rest； at whatever cost。
He swung unsteadily toward the fire。 He could see the forms of men
throwing black shadows in the red light； and as he went nearer it became
known to him in some way that the ground was strewn with sleeping men。
Of a sudden he confronted a black and monstrous figure。 A rifle
barrel caught some glinting beams。 〃Halt！ halt！〃 He was dis…
129 mayed for a moment； but he presently thought that he recognized
the nervous voice。 As he stood tottering before the rifle barrel； he called
out： 〃Why； hello； Wilson； youyou here？〃
The rifle was lowered to a position of caution and the loud soldier
came slowly forward。 He peered into the youth's face。 〃That you；
Henry？〃
〃Yes； it'sit's me。〃
〃Well； well； ol' boy；〃 said the other； 〃by ginger； I'm glad t' see yeh！ I
give yeh up fer a goner。 I thought yeh was dead sure enough。〃 There
was husky emotion in his voice。
The youth found that now he could barely stand upon his feet。 There
was a sudden sinking of his forces。 He thought he must hasten to pro…
duce his tale to protect him from the missiles already at the lips of his
redoubtable comrades。 So； staggering before the loud soldier； he began：
〃Yes； yes。 I'veI've had an awful time。 I've been all over。 Way over
on th' right。 Ter'ble fightin' over there。 I had an awful time。 I got
separated from th' reg'ment。 Over on th' right； I got shot。 In th' head。
I never see sech fightin'。 Awful time。 I don't see how I could 'a got
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separated from th' reg'ment。 I got shot； too。〃 His friend had stepped
forward quickly。 〃What？ Got shot？ Why didn't yeh say so first？ Poor
ol' boy； we musthol' on a minnit； what am I doin'。 I'll call Simpson。〃
Another figure at that moment loomed in the gloom。 They could see
that it was the corporal。 〃Who yeh talkin' to； Wilson？〃 he demanded。 His
voice was anger…toned。 〃Who yeh talkin' to？ Yeh th' derndest sentinel
whyhello； Henry； you here？ Why； I thought you was dead four hours
ago！ Great Jerusalem； they keep turnin' up every ten minutes or so！ We
thought we'd lost forty…two men by straight count； but if they keep on a…
comin' this way； we'll git th' comp'ny all back by mornin' yit。 Where was
yeh？〃
〃Over on th' right。 I got separated〃began the youth with
considerable glibness。
But his friend had interrupted hastily。 〃Yes； an' he got shot in th'