The Khaki Boys at Camp Sterling; Or, Training for the Big Fight in France

by Gordon Bates

  CHAPTER XIII

  A CORPORAL AT LAST

  Returned from drill that afternoon, Bob, Jimmy and Roger were jubilantto learn that Ignace had escaped the guard-house. They were also greatlysurprised, and not a little pleased to hear from him of the sturdy standSchnitzel had taken in his behalf.

  "It was white in Schnitzel to do that," lauded Jimmy. "I'll bet ithelped some, even if he couldn't say he'd really seen Bixton do anythingcrooked. I'd just like to know why that sneak was fishing around my cot.After my suitcase, maybe. But what would he want that's in there?"

  "Most any little thing that he didn't happen to have and took a fancyto," shrugged Bob.

  "More likely he wanted to get at your side of the rack and do somemischief to your clothing," was Roger's sage opinion. "Slash yourovercoat or cut all the buttons off it, or do something of that sort.I've heard that he has plenty of money to spend, and that he gets lotsof stuff from home. He was out to do something malicious rather thansteal. He's the kind of a man that holds a grudge."

  "There's something in that," nodded Bob reflectively. "Well, he's cannedfor a while, anyhow. He'll have to lie low and mind his p's and q's.Hope he doesn't try later to take his spite out on Schnitzel. I guessSchnitzel's not afraid of him, though. What he did for Iggy proves thatmuch."

  "Schnitzel's too much of a man to let a sneak like Bixton get his goat,"asserted Jimmy. "He'll plod along just as he's done before and pretendnot to notice that yellow cur. We ought to do something to showSchnitzel that we think he's O. K. I've never had much to say to him'cause I've always thought he'd rather be let alone. Now I'm going tomake a stab at getting acquainted with him."

  "So stab I, too," agreed Ignace promptly, which raised a laugh at hisexpense.

  "You've done enough 'stabbing' to hold you for a while." The smile fadedfrom Jimmy's lips. "Do you know that your thirty days'll be up just oneday after Thanksgiving? You've given the 'strong poonch' to a plan ofmine. I wanted all three of you fellows to go home with me forThanksgiving. I'd already fixed it up with Mother. Now you've gone andqueered yourself on my account, so I guess we'd all better stay herefor Thanksgiving and keep you company."

  Ignace eyed Jimmy wistfully. "No," he announced with heroicpositiveness, "never you stay here for the Thankgivin'. You go home,along Bob and Roger. You stay here, I am the mad. No speak you, no lookyou, no nothin'. I am no the pig. You go by Jimmy?" he demandedanxiously of Roger and Bob.

  "This is so sudden," murmured Bob. "It takes my breath."

  "You and Jimmy will have to settle it between you, Iggy," laughed Roger."It's not up to Bob and me to choose. All I have to say is that it'smighty fine in you and your folks, Blazes, to want us with you for ourThanksgiving furlough."

  "It certainly is," Bob agreed warmly.

  "You see?" Ignace turned triumphantly to Jimmy. "Bob and Roger want goby your house. So is it." Having made up his mind on this importantpoint, Ignace was firm.

  True to his word, that very evening Jimmy sought out Schnitzel andinvited him to go for a stroll about the camp, in company with Bob andRoger. The man's gloomy face brightened perceptibly as he somewhathesitatingly rose from his cot, laid aside a book he had been reading,and followed Jimmy to the stairs, where his two friends stood waiting.Due to his reticent, stand-offish manner, it was the first invitationof the kind he had received since his arrival at Camp Sterling.

  Bixton's malicious intimations against him had done far less toostracize him than had his own hurt pride. Keenly sensitive of hisGerman parentage, the first whisper against his loyalty to the Flag hadcaused him to retreat into his shell.

  It is said that out of evil some good must eventually come. Thedisturbance between Ignace and Bixton resulted at least in awakening inthe minds of Iggy's bunkies a genuine interest in Schnitzel, which wasone day to prove his salvation. Though he responded rather shyly totheir kindly overtures, he made a favorable impression on all three,and, in his reserved fashion, soon grew to be on fairly friendly termswith them. With Ignace he appeared to be even a trifle more at ease. Hehad not forgotten the little incident of the mess hall. Ignace had cometo him at a moment when he most needed companionship. That he wasgrateful he had summarily proved.

  Meanwhile both participants in the fight were feeling the effects oftheir breach of good conduct. Added to their daily routine of drill washard work and plenty of it, not to mention the loss of all privileges,confinement to the company street, and the too-searching eyes of the topsergeant keeping tab on their movements.

  Ignace did not so much mind the hard work. He had never been used toanything else. Loss of privileges and confinement to the company streetwere his chief crosses. Though November was fast slipping away, theweather had remained mild. There had been plenty of sunshine and littlerain. In consequence, his Brothers spent much of their leisure timeout-of-doors, and it grieved Ignace not a little not to be in a positionto accompany them on their frequent jaunts about the camp, or on briefexpeditions to Glenwood.

  Bixton, on the contrary, resented far more than loss of privileges andconfinement to company street, the amount of hard work he was made toperform. He disdainfully regarded the various camp labors imposed uponhim as servant's tasks. Brought up in idleness by a too-adoring widowedmother, his enlistment had come about as the result of a disagreementwith her over money.

  From the moment in which he had begun to realize that the Army had "got"him, he had become at heart a slacker. He had been careful not to let itbe suspected, however, among the men in his barrack.

  Spiteful by nature, he was ready to make any man whom he did not like anescape-valve for his pent-up malice against the military. He had pickedSchnitzel as his first victim, but without any special success. TheGerman-American had refused to quarrel with him or notice his pettyattempts to torment him. He had accordingly started upon Ignace, therebydrawing down upon himself Jimmy's hearty dislike, which he had returnedwith equal intensity. As Roger had surmised, Bixton's stealthy tripacross the squad room had to do with certain dark designs on Jimmy'sequipment, best known to the author of them. The drubbing Ignace hadgiven him, followed by the summons before the K. O., died intoinsignificance beside the unexpected move Schnitzel had made againsthim. He now had but one object in life: to "get even" with "that Germansnake."

  If Franz Schnitzel suspected Bixton of harboring plans for revenge, hekept it to himself. When in company with the four Brothers, Bixton'sname seldom crossed his lips. Warned by the impetuous Jimmy to "look outfor that hound," he merely replied, "I'm not afraid of him." No one savehimself knew of the alert watch he kept on himself and his belongings.If Bixton tried to "put anything over on him," he proposed to be readyto hold his own.

  With the middle of November came the first signs of approaching winter.Light falls of snow blanketed the camp and the nights grew cold. Thanksto the beneficent efforts of that indefatigable band of Army welfareworkers, the Red Cross, Uncle Sam's boys at Camp Sterling were thegrateful recipients of extra quilts, sweaters, knitted wristlets andwarm under-clothing. Among the more fortunately-situated soldiers, suchas Jimmy Blaise, who were already well supplied with every comfort,these unexpected gifts were passed on by them to more needy comrades.Due to delay in the turning on of steam heat in the barracks, theseextra quilts were particularly welcome. After the hard day's routine ofoutdoor drill, the tired soldier boys had on more than one night foundtheir allotted bed covers insufficient against the snapping cold. It wasthe first real discomfort they had encountered since their enlistment,and the majority of the camp contingent accepted it in the spirit oftrue veterans.

  Veterans they were fast becoming. All traces of the rookie had longsince vanished. They had acquired the erect carriage and long,purposeful stride that indelibly marks a man the world over as belongingor having once belonged to the military. Each day saw them engaged inlearning or perfecting some necessary part of the soldier's trade.Strenuous practice hikes about camp, bayonet drills, trench instruction,target practice, together with the thousand and one details
of militarytraining, now entered into their scheme of life.

  Among them all, there was no finer example than Jimmy Blaise of whatmilitary training will do for a young man. He was not only a joy to lookat, so far as soldierly bearing went. He was also verifying the earlypromise he had shown of inevitably rising from the lowly private to therank of a non-commissioned officer. Off duty and among his bunkies hewas the same easy-going Jimmy. On duty he was a man who regarded theService as a religion and lived up to it devotedly. Whatever he wasordered to do he did, with an intelligence and finish which marked himas one who keenly _felt_ his responsibility.

  No one except himself was greatly surprised when, just a week beforeThanksgiving, he received a warrant from Washington, which signifiedthat his appointment to a corporalship had been approved by MajorSterns, his commanding officer. So far as friendliness can bedemonstrated in the Army between a commissioned officer and an enlistedman, Jimmy stood well in the estimation of the major.

  Strangely enough it was his knowledge of automobiles which had broughthim first notice from the commanding officer. The removal of a man, whohad acted as the major's chauffeur, to another training camp had causedthe K. O. to look about him for a substitute. It having reached the earsof Sergeant Dexter that "Blaise owned a car and knew a lot about buzzwagons," he had promptly acquainted the major with the fact. The resultwas that Jimmy was detailed one Sunday afternoon to drive the K. O. intoTremont. This trip was the first of other similar expeditions in themajor's service. His delight in them was scarcely greater than that ofhis bunkies. Though Bob and Roger teasingly accused him of "being raiseda pet" and warned him against "getting the big head," they wereunenviously glad of his good luck.

  So it was that when, on the momentous afternoon of his rise from theranks, he proudly confided to them the great news, they received it witha jubilation second only to his own.

  "You're hiking right along on the Glory Road, old man," was Bob's heartycongratulation as he wrung Jimmy's hand.

  "Mebbe soon top sergeant," averred Ignace hopefully, his solemn facewreathed with smiles.

  "Then you'll lose your bunkie, Iggy," teased Bob. "Top sergeants arerare, exclusive birds, you know. They roost on the roof of the barrackswith their heads in the air. They have their uses, though. They stopfights, quell frays and disorders and----"

  "Oh, chop it," cut in Jimmy in sheepish protest. "The war'll be overlong before I ever get that far. You fellows will probably be corporals,before long. I hope so. I'm not so much." It was Jimmy's favoritesumming-up of himself. "Course I'm glad it happened. I guess it was justluck, though. Anyway, I'm going to be a bully good corp. if I can. Nohalf-way business about it. I don't expect to go any higher in a hurry.I wouldn't care to, unless I could take you fellows along with me. I'drather be one of the four Brothers than a rare bird that roosts on topof the barracks. I'd rather stay with the gang and see what happens."