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

by Gordon Bates

  CHAPTER XIV

  ADVENTURE

  "What's the program for to-morrow afternoon?" demanded Jimmy Blaise ofhis bunkies. It was Friday evening and the four Khaki Boys had finishedtheir supper and were returning to barracks from the mess hall.

  "Most any old thing except hanging around camp all Saturday afternoon,"was Bob's fervent response. "Nothing that takes much dough, though. I'msaving my coin for Thanksgiving and the big town."

  "Here, too," nodded Roger. "Still I wouldn't mind spending a dollar orso down in Glenwood to-morrow afternoon. A fellow told me about a bazaarthat's to be held there for the benefit of the Red Cross. We might takethat in. The Red Cross has been mighty good to us. I guess it wouldn'thurt us to help the bazaar along a little."

  "I'll do my bit," agreed Jimmy cheerfully. "What's a few plunks toBlazes? He's going home next Wednesday."

  "I can no go," stated Ignace automatically. He had said it so many timesduring the past month that it now fell from his lips like an oft-recitedlesson.

  "So we've heard you remark before," commented Bob lightly. "Never mind,Iggy, you'll soon be over your troubles. Then we'll give you a bang-upblow-out in Tremont to make up for the unhappy past." Pausing in themiddle of the company street Bob raised his meat can on high andexclaimed dramatically, "One week from to-day, Ignace So Pulinski, andyou shall walk forth under the open sky and from the narrow confines ofthe company street, shouting 'Free at last! The past is gone and cannotbe recalled but the glorious future----'"

  "I do, som' one see, so say I am the crazy," giggled Ignace.

  "Come along before someone runs _you_ in for a nut," warned Jimmy,seizing Bob by the arm. "Here comes a shave-tail. Try that lingo on himand see what he says." By "shave-tail" Jimmy referred in Army slang to a"second lieutenant."

  Four hands went up into prompt action as the lieutenant came withinsaluting range and passed on.

  "He just missed my oration," deplored Bob.

  "Run after him and tell him about it," laughed Roger.

  "Some other time. I've got to attend a sewing-bee at barracks and Ican't play along the way. I've a date with a needle and thread and a fewbuttons."

  "With fingers weary and worn, And eye-lids heavy and red, A Sammy sat on his little cot And counted the knots in his thread!"

  caroled Bob. "That's me; Bobby, the Beautiful Seamstress, or Sewing onButtons Against Heavy Odds. You certainly learn a lot of useful tradesin the Army."

  Returned to barracks, all four soon busied themselves in the going overof their effects. Saturday morning meant the weekly inspection of theircots and equipment by an officer from the regimental hospital, whosepracticed eyes missed nothing in the way of defects. Thus far no one ofthem had failed to be in readiness for him. Nor did they intend that heshould find anything to criticize.

  Saturday dawned clear and sunny, with only a suspicion of frost in thebracing air. Having obtained leave of absence for the afternoon, thethree bunkies started for Glenwood directly after the noon mess, Ignaceaccompanying them as far as the end of the company street.

  Arrived at the main street of the drowsy little town, their first movewas to find the building which held the Red Cross bazaar.

  On entering, the three Khaki Boys found the place already well filledwith Glenwood civilians and soldiers from Camp Sterling. For an hour orso they amused themselves strolling about the big room, lined on threesides with gaily decorated booths, each with its own attraction in theway of salable commodities. After conscientiously doing their bit in theway of purchasing a number of articles that caught their fancy, theyleft the bazaar and wandered on down the street to a bowling alley.

  It was four o'clock when they emerged, each well pleased with the scorehe had run up. After a brief stop at a drug store soda fountain for hotchocolate, Bob was of the opinion that camp was almost as exciting asGlenwood and that they had better be beating it up the road.

  Frequent side-stepping to allow the passing of jitneys to and from campfinally moved Bob to propose impatiently, "Let's get off this turnpikeand hit it up across the fields. It may be a little bit roundabout butwe've lots of time to get back to camp."

  Roger and Jimmy agreeing, the trio left the highway, leaping a stumpfence and striking off across a meadow, the withered grass of whichstill showed patches of green. Crossing it they went on to anotherfield, which continued level for a little way, then sloped graduallydownward. Coming to the point where the descent began, three voices weresuddenly raised in a concerted shout. Their eyes had simultaneouslyspied at the foot of the slope that which had evoked the outcry.

  "Come on!" yelled Jimmy, breaking into a run. "It's an aeroplane. Looksas though it had flopped. Maybe someone's hurt or killed!"

  With a shout, a figure emerged from behind the fuselage of the quiescentplane and stood still, gazing straight at the rapidly advancing trio.

  "One man alive!" yelled Bob. "Hope he's the whole show! Hey there!Anybody hurt?"

  "Nope," came the cheerful hail. "Old Auntie's just wanted to take arest. She takes 'em once in a while. She's all right now. We weregetting ready to go up when we heard you yell."

  With this reassuring information the speaker stepped forward, halting afew paces from the newcomers. Close survey of him showed a grinning,boyish face, looking out from a close-fitting hood. It was lighted bytwo dancing blue eyes, bluer by reason of their heavily marked brows andthick black lashes.

  "Gee!" exploded Jimmy. "We thought it was a sure-enough smash-up! Someplane you've got there. Mind if we take a look----"

  He broke off abruptly, his gray eyes widening. From the elevator of themotionless plane a stooping figure suddenly straightened up. For aninstant Jimmy was under the impression that he was seeing double."Why--what----" he gasped, as he stared stupidly at this second youth,so identically like the first, even to his wide grin.

  "Twins!" Bob's quick brain had instantly grasped the situation. "Well,I'll be jiggered!"

  "How did you guess it?" laughed the youth they had first addressed. "Youdon't think we look alike, do you?"

  "Not enough so that I'd ever be able to tell you apart," retorted Bob,his black eyes twinkling.

  "Oh, that's easy enough when you know us," was the jesting assurance ofthe other twin. "We never have any trouble about it ourselves. Iwouldn't have to be a detective to spot where you fellows live. How'sCamp Sterling, anyway?"

  "It's there yet. At least, it was still there at one o'clock." Bob'svoice quivered with amusement. His face betrayed a lively curiosity,which was plainly reflected on the features of his companions. Tosuddenly come upon an aeroplane taking a rest in a hollow and presidedover by a couple of youngsters, so identical in every respect, even to awide, good-natured grin, was adventure, to say the least.