德国飞机扔下爆炸物，造成了人员的伤亡。在港口，大家救下了一名伤员，戈瑞医生为他细细地诊治了一番。这名伤员名叫莫里，在战争中经历了种种伤痛。听了他的故事，大家不禁都感叹起战争的残酷。
It was nearly evening when the Americans finally returned to the quaya，close to which the Arabella was mooredb.As they neared the place a great military automobile came tearing along，scattering pedestrians right and left，made a sudden swerve，caught a man who was not agile enough to escape and sent him spinning along the dock until he fell headlong，a crumpled heap.
"Ah，here is work for us！"exclaimed Doctor Gys，running forward to raise the man and examine his condition.The military car had not paused in its career and was well out of sight，but a throng of indignant civilians gathered around.
"There are no severe injuries，but he seems unconscious，"reported Gys."Let us get him aboard the ship."The launch was waiting for them，and with the assistance of Jones，the doctor placed the injured man in the boat and he was taken to the ship and placed in one of the hospital berths.
"Our first patient is not a soldier，after all，"remarkedPatsy，a little disappointed."I shall let Beth and Maud look after him.""Well，he is wounded，all right，"answered Ajo，"and without your kind permission Beth and Maud are already below，looking after him.I'm afraid he won't require their services long，poor fellow.""Why didn't he get out of the way？"inquired Patsy with ashuddera.
"Can't say.Preoccupied，perhaps.There wasn't much time to jump，anyhow.I suppose that car carried a messenger with important news，for it isn't like those officers to be reckless of the lives of citizens.""No；they seem in perfect sympathy with the people，"she returned."I wonder what the news can be，Ajo."For answer a wild whistling sounded overhead；a cry came from those ashore and the next instant there was a loud explosion.Everyone rushed to the side，where Captain Carg was standing，staring at the sky.
"What was it，Captain？"gasped Patsy.
Carg stroked his grizzledb beard.
"A German bomb，Miss Patsy；but I think it did no damage.""A bomb！Then the Germans are on us？""Not exactly.An aeroplane dropped the thing.""Oh.Where is it？""The aeroplane？Pretty high up，I reckon，"answered the captain."I had a glimpse of it，for a moment；then it disappeared in the clouds.""We must get our ambulances ashore，"said Jones.
"No hurry，sir；plenty of time，"asserted the captain."I think I saw the airship floating north，so it isn't likely to bother us again just now.""What place is north of us？"inquired the girl，trembling a little in spite of her efforts at control.
"I think it is Nieuport—or perhaps Dixmude，"answeredCarg."I visited Belgium once，when I was a young man，but I cannot remember it very well.We're pretty close to the Belgian border，at Dunkirk.""There's another！"cried Ajo，as a second whistling shrieksounded above them.This time the bomb fell into the sea and raised a small water—spout，some half mile distant.They could now see plainly a second huge aircraft circling above them；but this also took flight toward the north and presently disappeared.
Uncle John came hurrying on deck with an anxious face and together the group of Americans listened for more bombs；but that was all that came their way that night.
"Well，"said Patsy，when she had recovered her equanimitya，"we're at the front at last，Uncle.How do you like it？""I hadn't thought of bombs，"he replied."But we're in for it，and I suppose we'll have to take whatever comes."Now came the doctor，supporting the injured man on one side while Maud Stanton held his opposite arm.Gys was smiling broadly—a rather ghastly expression.
"No bones broken，sir，"he reported to Mr.Merrick.
"Only a good shake—up and plenty of bruises.He can't be induced to stay in bed.""Bed，when the Germans come？"exclaimed the invalid，scornfully，speaking in fair English."It is absurd！We can sleep when we have driven them back to their dirty Faderland—we can sleep，then，and rest.Now，it is a crime to rest."They looked at him curiously.He was a small man—almost a tiny man—lean and sinewy and with cheeks the color of bronze and eyes the huea of the sky.His head was quite bald at the top；his face wrinkled；he had a bushy mustache and a half—grown beard.His clothing was soiled，torn and neglected；but perhaps his accident accounted for much of its condition.His age might be anywhere from thirty to fortyyears.He looked alert and shrewd.
"You are Belgian？"said Uncle John.
He leaned against the rail，shaking off the doctor's support，as he replied：