Night was coming on , snow falling , and a sharp wind blew over the field where a lot of us lay , dead and alive , waiting for the ambulance to come and pick us up . There was skirmishing going on not far off , and our prospects were rather poor between frost and fire . I was calculating how I 'd manage , when I found two poor chaps close by who were worse off , so I braced up and did what I could for them . One had an arm blown away , and kept up a dreadful groaning . The other was shot bad , and bleeding to death for want of help , but never complained . He was nearest , and I liked his pluck , for he spoke cheerful and made me ashamed to growl . Such times make dreadful brutes of men if they have n't something to hold on to , and all three of us were most wild with pain and cold and hunger , for we 'd fought all day fasting , when we heard a rumble in the road below , and saw lanterns bobbing round . That meant life to us , and we all tried to holler ; two of us were pretty faint , but I managed a good yell , and they heard it . '' ` Room for one more . Hard luck , old boys , but we are full and must save the worst wounded first . Take a drink , and hold on till we come back , ' says one of them with the stretcher . '' ` Here 's the one to go , ' I says , pointin ' out my man , for I saw by the light that he was hard hit . '' ` No , that one . He 's got more chances than I , or this one ; he 's young and got a mother ; I 'll wait , ' said the good feller , touchin ' my arm , for he 'd heard me mutterin ' to myself about this dear old lady . We always want mother when we are down , you know . '' Saul 's eyes turned to the beloved face with a glance of tenderest affection , and Aunt Plumy answered with a dismal groan at the recollection of his need that night , and her absence . `` Well , to be short , the groaning chap was taken , and my man left . I was mad , but there was no time for talk , and the selfish one went off and left that poor feller to run his one chance . I had my rifle , and guessed I could hobble up to use it if need be ; so we settled back to wait without much hope of help , everything being in a muddle . And wait we did till morning , for that ambulance did not come back till next day , when most of us were past needing it .
`` I 'll never forget that XXXXX .
Saul fire first left morning muddle mutterin night pointin touchin