Page:Air Service Boys Flying for France.djvu/217

212 to that moment he had believed was the case.

"Jack, see if you can find some way to transfer that gas to our tank," he said at his chum. "I'll take a look at this man's hurts. Just at present there seems to be nothing in the way of danger around us, and we can spare a few minutes in the cause of humanity."

"You're treating him a hundred times better than he deserves," mumbled Jack. "If the tables were turned, and it was Tuessig who had you down, he'd never lift a finger to give you first-aid. But that's you, Tom, every time! I'll manage somehow to get this stuff aboard our plane, never fear."

So Tom hastened to look Adolph Tuessig over, being as gentle as the need of time would permit. He was soon satisfied that the other's injuries, while they might be exceedingly painful, were by no means mortal.

"You're going to come out of this fairly well," he told the man after completing his hasty but thorough examination. "There will be plenty of black and blue marks on your body, and your nose may never again be quite as shapely as it was, for I am sorry to tell you it is broken; but you've got lots to be thankful for. It might have been your neck, Adolph Tuessig."

Jack called out just then to explain that he