CHAPTER IX
The Cantonment
A few days after their visit at the ranch, arrangements were made forMrs. Burton and members of her party to drive over to the new cantonmentwhich was situated on a broad mesa not many miles away.
Gerry Williams announced that because of the dust and discomfort shepreferred being left behind.
Sally Ashton also declined, stating that she was not well enough toconsider undertaking the long drive and then being forced to walk aboutover whatever portion of the camp they were permitted to inspect. Afterher mishap, which Sally considered no one had regarded with sufficientseriousness, she had acquired a prejudice against excursions of anycharacter.
Sally's attitude the Camp Fire guardian understood, although she wassomewhat puzzled by Gerry Williams, as always before Gerry had beenenthusiastic over change and excitement. One would have supposed thatamong all the girls she would have been most interested in the new warcamp and the possibility of seeing and meeting the young Americansoldiers.
Mrs. Webster would not consider the trip, feeling that her heart wouldonly be torn by the sight of so many war preparations, and more if sheshould chance to come in contact with an unusually homesick boy. Hersister could bring back word of whatever she could actually _do_ to beof service, since often enough she was the pioneer who went forth insearch of new ideas which Mrs. Webster put into execution.
Dan Webster was of course essential to the expedition, as he waschauffeur. Billy was not only invited, but Mrs. Burton insisted upon hisaccompanying them after he had very generously demurred, saying therewas no reason why he should crowd the others when he really was notinterested in war camps. She hoped, however, that the sight of thecantonment might exert either a mental or a spiritual influence uponhim.
It was possible to manage eight in the car, although ordinarily it heldbut seven, yet one was willing to be a little inconvenienced under thecircumstances, so the five girls, Vera Lagerloff, Bettina Graham, AliceAshton, Marta Clark and Peggy Webster also accompanied Mrs. Burton.
The first part of the drive followed the now familiar line of the shore.Yet the outlook was never the same! Now and then one would see a heronor sand crane standing upon one leg near the water, apparently lost inimmortal thought; sea gulls were dipping in and out, or else ridingserenely on the waves; occasionally a buzzard, grim as Odin, soaredoverhead.
Once Marta Clark, who was on the front seat with Dan, gave a cry ofsurprise. She had discovered that what she supposed a great bird wingingits flight over their car, was in reality an aeroplane on a longpractice flight from North Island.
Finally leaving the coast, the automobile began a long climb over anundulating line of hills. The hills were bare except for occasionalbunches of cacti and bushes of bright yellow tar weed. There were acresand acres of sage brush, sometimes a field of wild buckwheat and once ina while a small grove of live oak shrubs or of red and blue gum trees.
The mesa upon which the new cantonment was springing up like a magiccity was a great desert of sand and sage. For years the thousands ofacres had been of no use because of the lack of water. Now greatirrigating ditches had been laid and the camp was being plentifullysupplied with water by the city of San Diego.
The surroundings of the camp were cheerless enough, it is true, yetthere was nothing cheerless in the atmosphere of the place itself. Evenas the Camp Fire party approached they felt the undercurrent of the finenew force, the splendid vitality which the war has awakened in theworld.
A sentry ordered Dan to stop his car within a few yards of the officers'quarters and Mrs. Burton was told that she must receive an officialpermit for their inspection of certain features of the camp.
From inside the little house, which looked like a miniature bungalow ofunpainted pine, one heard the noise, not of the rattle of musketry, butthe endless tip, tap, tap of many typewriters.
Captain Mason, who had been told of Mrs. Burton's intended visit, cameout to greet her and her party.
He explained that just at present there were only a few hundred soldierswithin the cantonment, although they were expecting many thousandswithin the next few weeks.
An army of workmen were at present engaged in preparing the way for thecoming of the soldiers and the big artillery.
Strolling apart from the other laborers and still carrying a largehammer, Mr. Jefferson Simpson, the late Camp Fire guide, philosopher andfriend, walked over to speak to Mrs. Burton and her companions. Heoffered no explanation for his presence at the camp, but it was obvioushe had concluded that his efforts here were of more importance than hisprevious occupation. The Sunrise Camp Fire had always considered hisremaining with them for so long a time an obvious absurdity and presumedthat it was because of Mr. Simpson's continuing interest in Marie,although he had paid no attention to her since the breaking of theirengagement.
But apparently his leading motive in life was to discover the number andvariety of vocations in which he could engage.
After receiving a written order from the commanding officer for the day,Captain Mason led the way with Mrs. Burton walking beside him.
They were to be allowed to see only places of minor importance, thetemporary tents and mess room, the Y. M. C. A. quarters. Mrs. Burton hadexplained that one of the chief reasons for their visit was a desire tofind out how they might be of service in even the smallest possible way.
"You see, Captain Mason," she suggested, "we are living for the presentnot far behind the lines of this American war camp. In a different senseevery woman and girl in our country should be a reserve soldier behindthe lines until the war is over. One need not wear a uniform, or carry agun to serve! Our American Camp Fire girls feel that they ought to beable to give as valuable service to the country as the Boy Scouts. Iconfess we have not yet altogether found our way."
By this time Mrs. Burton and Captain Mason had reached the Red Crosstent and now had paused for a moment outside to wait for the five girlsand Dan and Billy Webster to join them.
Captain Mason nodded, waving his hand toward the open flap of the tent.
"You can help us keep our boys amused. I tell you that is the greatestproblem we older officers have to meet with young, untrained soldiers.Discipline is comparatively easy, for few of the boys resent it; butlook in there!"
Mrs. Burton did look, while Bettina and Marta and Peggy, who werenearest, also gazed in over her shoulders.
Several soldiers were sitting by a long board table looking at a pile ofmagazines, not because they were interested, but plainly because theyhad nothing else on earth they could think of to do.
On a raised platform a phonograph was playing an Italian love song. Someone must have started it, although at present no one apparently waslistening to the music.
Several of the soldiers were writing letters, others were yawning andhalf lying down on the hard wooden benches, bored and listless andhomesick.
Hearing voices outside the Y.M.C.A. tent, one young officer, who alsohad been writing, lifted his eyes.
The same instant Bettina Graham walked quickly inside the tent, holdingout her hand.
"Why, here is my lieutenant!" she exclaimed. "May I call you mylieutenant, although Marta Clark will dispute the title? For I did reachyou first after your accident and it is my first-aid treatment you seemto have survived. I did not know you had arrived at this cantonment,Lieutenant Carson. I do hope you have entirely recovered."
The Camp Fire Girls Behind the Lines Page 9