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Now； the complete element of surprise was all…needful for the
attack the Germans had planned against the 〃Here…We…Comes。〃
Deprived of that advantage the expedition was doomed to utter
failure。 For； given a chance to wake and to rally； the regiment
could not possibly be 〃rushed；〃 in vivid moonlight； before the
nearest Allied forces could move up to its support。 And those
forces were only a mile or so to the rear。 There can be no
possible hope for a surprise attack upon a well…appointed camp
when the night's stillness has been shattered by a series of
maniac screams and by three echoing rifle…shots。
Already the guard was out。 A bugle was blowing。 In another
minute； the sentry…calls would locate the gap made by the three
murdered sentinels。
A swift guttural conference among the leaders of the gray…clad
marauders was followed by the barking of equally guttural
commands。 And the Germans withdrew as quietly and as rapidly as
they had come。
* * * * * * * * * * *
It was the mouthing and jabbering of the fit…possessed Corporal
Rudolph Freund that drew to him the notice of a squad of Yankees
led by Top…Sergeant Mahan； ten minutes later。 It was the shudder
accompanied pointing of the delirious man's finger； toward the
nearby clump of undergrowth； that revealed to them the still warm
body of Bruce。
Back to camp； carried lovingly in Mahan's strong arms； went all
that was left of the great courier…dog。 Back to camp； propelled
between two none…too…gentle soldiers； staggered the fit…ridden
Corporal Freund。
At the colonel's quarters； a compelling dose of stimulant cleared
some of the mists from the prisoner's brain。 His nerve and his
will…power still gone to smash； he babbled eagerly enough of the
night attack； of the killing of the sentries and of his encounter
with the Werewolf。
〃I saw him fall！〃 he raved。 〃But he is not dead。 The Werewolf can
be killed only by a silver bullet； marked with a cross and
blessed by a priest。 He will live to track me down！ Lock me where
he cannot find me； for the sake of sweet mercy！〃
And in this way； the 〃Here…We…Comes〃 learned of Bruce's part in
the night's averted disaster。
Old Vivier wept unashamed over the body of the dog he had loved。
Top…Sergeant Mahanthe big tears splashing； unnoted； from his
own red eyesbesought the Frenchman to strive for better self…
control and not to set a cry…baby example to the men。
Then a group of grim…faced soldiers dug a grave。 And； carried by
Mahan and Vivier； the beautiful dog's body was borne to its
resting…place。 A throng of men in the gray dawn stood wordless
around the grave。 Some one shamefacedly took off his hat。 With
equal shamefacedness； everybody else followed the example。
Mahan laid the dog's body on the ground； at the grave's brink。
Then； looking about him； he cleared his throat noisily and spoke。
〃Boys；〃 he began； 〃when a human dies for other humans； there's a
Christian burial service read over him。 I'd have asked the
chaplain to read one over Bruce； here； if I hadn't known he'd say
no。 But the Big Dog isn't going to rest without a word said over
his grave； for all that。〃
Mahan cleared his throat noisily once more； winked fast； then
went on：
〃You can laugh at me； if any of you feel like it。 But there's
some of you here who wouldn't be alive to laugh； if Bruce hadn't
done what he did last night。 He was only just a dogwith no
soul； and with no life after this one； I s'pose。 So he went ahead
and did his work and took the risks； and asked no pay。
〃And by and by he died； still doing his work and asking no pay。
〃He didn't work with the idea of getting a cross or a ribbon or a
promotion or a pension or his name in the paper or to make the
crowd cheer him when he got back home； or to brag to the
homefolks about how he was a hero。 He just went ahead and WAS a
hero。 That's because he was only a dog； with no souland not a
man。
〃All of us humans are working for some reward； even if it's only
for our pay or for the fun of doing our share。 But Bruce was a
hero because he was just a dog； and because he didn't know enough
to be anything else but a hero。
〃I've heard about him； before he joined up with us。 I guess most
of us have。 He lived up in Jersey； somewhere。 With folks that had
bred him。 I'll bet a year's pay he was made a lot of by those
folks； and that it wrenched 'em to let him go。 You could see he'd
been brought up that way。 Life must 'a' been pretty happy for the
old chap； back there。 Then he was picked up and slung into the
middle of this hell。
〃So was the rest of us； says you。 But you're wrong。 Those of us
that waited for the draft had our choice of going to the hoosgow；
as 'conscientious objectors；' if we didn't want to fight。 And
every mother's son of us knew we was fighting for the Right； and
that we was making the world a decenter and safer place for our
grandchildren and our womenfolks to live in。 We didn't brag about
God being on our side； like the boches do。 It was enough for us
to know WE was on GOD'S side and fighting His great fight for
Him。 We had patriotism and religion and Right； behind us； to give
us strength。
〃Brucie hadn't a one of those things。 He didn't know what he was
here forand why he'd been pitched out of his nice home； into
all this。 He didn't have a chance to say Yes or No。 He didn't
have any spellbinders to tell him he was making the world safe
for d'mocracy。 He was MADE to come。
〃How would any of us humans have acted； if a deal like that had
been handed to us？ We'd 'a' grouched and slacked and maybe
deserted。 That's because we're lords of creation and have souls
and brains and such。 What did Bruce do？ He jumped into this game；
with bells on。 He risked his life a hundred times； and he was
just as ready to risk it again the next day。
〃Yes； and he knew he was risking it； too。 There's blame little he
didn't know。 He saw war…dogs； all around him； choking to death
from gas； or screaming their lives out； in No Man's Land； when a
bit of shell had disemboweled 'em or a bullet had cracked their
backbones。 He saw 'em starve to death。 He saw 'em one bloody mass
of scars and sores。 He saw 'em die of pneumonia and mange and
every rotten trench disease。 And he knew it might be his turn；
any time at all； to die as they were dying； and he knew the
humans was too busy nursing other humans； to have time to spare
on caring for tortured dogs。 （Though those same dogs were dying
for the humans； if it comes to that。）
〃Yes； Bruce knew what the end was bound to be。 He knew it。 And he
kept on； as gay and as brave as if he was on a day's romp。 He
never flinched。 Not even that time the K。O。 sent him up the hill
for reenforcements at Rache； when every sharpshooter in the boche
trenches was laying for him； and when the machine guns were
trained on him； too。 Bruce knew he was running into death；then
and a dozen