“Why don’t you ride with the transport?” I asked. “Why don’t you go to the hospital?”
“They won’t let me. The lieutenant said I slipped the truss on purpose.”
“Let me feel it.”
“It’s way out.”
“Which side is it on?”
“Here.”
I felt it.
“Cough,” I said.
“I’m afraid it will make it bigger. It’s twice as big as it was this morning.”
“Sit down,” I said. “As soon as I get the papers on these wounded I’ll take you along the road and drop you with your medical officers.”
“He’ll say I did it on purpose.”
“They can’t do anything,” I said. “It’s not a wound. You’ve had it before, haven’t you?”
“But I lost the truss.”
“They’ll send you to a hospital.”
“Can’t I stay here, Tenente ?”
“No, I haven’t any papers for you.”