08 Brothers

8 Brothers Clara Barton had turned the wagon around. She helped Jack and Annie lift the drummer boy into the back. “ The soldiers said he has heat stroke, " Annie told Clara. “ His name is John. ” The boy lay down next to the sleeping Confederate soldier. “ He does have heat stroke, ” Clara said. “ The other boy also has a high fever. We must get them to the hospital at once. Can you two stay in the back of the wagon and do as I tell you?”

“ Sure, " said Jack and Annie. Clara dampened two clean cloths with water from Jack's canteen. “ Gently press these cloths against their faces to help cool them off, " she said. She gave the cloths to Jack and Annie. Then she went to the front of the wagon and climbed in. The wagon started forward. Jack and Annie gently patted the soldiers' faces with the damp cloths. Jack looked at the young men lying side by side. The two seemed far more alike than different. In another time and place, they might have been friends, Jack thought. Finally, the wagon arrived at the field hospital. The Confederate soldier was put on a stretcher and carried to a tent.

Two soldiers wearing bandages put the drummer boy on a stretcher. “ Could you stay with John awhile?” Clara Barton asked Jack and Annie. “ Sure, " said Jack. “ Try to bring down his fever, " Clara said. “ A nurse will give you ice packs to press against his skin. Find me when his fever is lower. " The drummer boy was carried into an empty tent. Jack and Annie followed. John was put on a cot. Then a nurse brought some rags and a bucket filled with ice. Jack and Annie were left alone with the boy. Jack wrapped some ice in a rag. He pressed the ice pack against the boy's head and neck and arms. Annie fanned the air to cool John off and to keep away the flies.

Jack felt so hot he pressed an ice pack against his own face for a moment. Then he looked up drummer boys in his Civil War book. He read: The Civil War was the last war to use drummer boys, The drumbeat was used to give orders to soldiers. Different beats told them when to eat, how to march, and even how to fight. On smoky battlefields, the boy's drumming helped soldiers find one another and keep together. “ Wow, " said Jack. He closed the book, pulled out his notebook, and wrote: drummer boy-really important job Suddenly, John shouted. Jack looked up from his notebook. The drummer boy was still asleep, but he was waving his arms as if he were having a nightmare.

Annie shook the boy's arm. “ Wake up, John, " she said. “ You're okay. Wake up. ” The drummer boy opened his eyes. " You were having a bad dream, " said Annie. “ You're safe now. You'll see your family again soon. ” “ No! No! ” the boy said. He sounded frantic. “ I have to go back to the battlefield. " “ No, you don't have to fight anymore, " said Annie. “ You can go home and be safe. " “ No! ” the boy said. “ They need me! They need my drum! ” He sounded more and more upset. Jack thought about their list. put aside your own feelings, he remembered.

“ Okay, John, " said Jack. “ You can go back as soon as you feel better. " “ Jack! ” said Annie. “ He'll get hurt or killed! I'm afraid for him! "