CHAPTER II
OFF TO CAMP STERLING
One o'clock of a sunshiny September afternoon saw a company of young menmarching by twos down a long wooden platform, on each side of which rosewaiting trains. Though still in civilian clothing, their careers assoldiers had fairly begun. Through the iron gates of the stationstreamed after them another procession of a somewhat different order.Though it numbered a few men, it consisted chiefly of anxious-facedwomen both young and elderly, who had come out that afternoon to wishthe newly enlisted soldiers Godspeed before their start for CampSterling.
Well toward the end of the little double line were Jimmy Blaise andRoger Barlow. A little over a week had passed since that eventfulSaturday afternoon when the two boys had driven to the recruitingstation in Jimmy's car. Uncle Sam had indeed been willing to number themamong his daily growing host of young patriots. They had passed throughthe ordeal of a rigid examination with flying colors. Having gone thusfar in the process of enlistment, they had since been impatientlywaiting for the summons that would call them to a training camp, thereto undergo a final test, take the oath of allegiance and beginsoldiering in earnest. Both were distinctly elated at having thus easilypassed the first test. With one accord they had decided on the infantryas the most desirable branch of the service for them. Infantry promisedplenty of excitement.
Having already obtained the sanction of his parents to enlist, it hadbut remained to light-hearted Jimmy to go home and inform them that thegreat deed was done. With Roger there had been no one to consult, otherthan notifying the employment office of the munitions plant of his newmove. This he proposed to do on the following Monday morning. Ratherreluctantly he had given in to his friend's persuasions that he shouldaccompany Jimmy to his home that Saturday afternoon and meet thelatter's parents. The Blaises lived in one of the most beautiful suburbsof the great city, and the very sight of the stately stone house whichthe lucky Jimmy called home, set well back on a wide, tree-dotted lawn,had filled Roger with secret dismay. As the roadster had rolled up thebroad drive that wound its way through the grounds to the garage,situated well behind the house, he had been stirred with a strongdesire to jump out of it and hurry away. He wondered whether Jimmy'sfolks would approve of him.
Later, when he had met the Blaises and found them delightfully friendlyand hospitable, he had been glad that he had not yielded to his firstpanicky impulse to flee. Thoroughly accustomed to their son's whirlwindtactics, Mr. and Mrs. Blaise had not only accepted Jimmy's new friend athis face value, but had also privately approved Roger's quiet, resolutemanner and direct, courteous speech.
During the brief time that had elapsed between the enlistment of the twolads until the morning of farewell, he had been a frequent guest ofeasy-going Jimmy. The prophesy of friendship that the latter had made onthe afternoon of their first meeting had become an actual fact.
Jimmy not only grew daily fonder of Roger on account of his sturdymanliness. He also respected the other boy for what he knew. Consideringthe fact that Roger had left high school to go to work at the close ofhis second year there, what he had gained by both work and study atnight amounted to a good deal. On the other hand, Roger had never beforeencountered a boy quite so likable as Jimmy. Opposites by nature, eachhailed the other's good qualities with boyish enthusiasm. The verysincerity of their liking for each other was to carry them triumphantlythrough many strenuous days that lay ahead of them.
Now bound for Camp Sterling together, they were two very excited andalmost happy boys, as in company with fifty other youths they marcheddown the platform that afternoon, there to say their last words offarewell to Mrs. and Mr. Blaise before boarding the fateful train. Ofthe two, Jimmy was scarcely more concerned at saying good-bye to hisparents than was Roger at taking leave of these kind friends. For abrief season he had once again known something of the joy of a realhome. It would be very hard to say farewell to Jimmy's parents, hethought. They had taken the kindest interest in him. Already Mrs. Blaisehad more than once smilingly called him her foster-son. Lookinggratefully back to the Saturday afternoon of his first meeting withJimmy, he had wondered how it had all come about.
"There's Mother, over yonder, and Father, too," muttered Jimmy inRoger's ear. Paused beside the train that was to bear them away, thecompany of prospective Khaki Boys had begun seeking their own among thethrong of civilians for a last word. "I almost wish they hadn't come. Ithurts to say good-bye. Anyway, we'll see them again before long, if webehave," he added with a faint grin. "No behavee, no furloughs."
With this he made his way to the waiting couple, who had already spiedhim, Roger at his heels. Since his enlistment in the Regular Army thiswas the one shadow that had clouded Jimmy's enthusiasm in his newpatriotic venture. He had resolutely shoved into the background allthought of saying good-bye. Now that the dread moment had come, helooked exceedingly solemn.
"Good-bye, Roger." Mrs. Blaise extended her hand. Obeying a motherlyimpulse she bent forward and kissed his cheek. "Be a good soldier boy. Iknow you'll be a good friend to Jimmy." Her blue eyes wanderedaffectionately to her son, who was gravely shaking hands with hisfather, his merry features grown momentarily sad.
"Don't you worry about me, Mother." Jimmy's voice sounded a triflehusky. "I can take care of myself and Roger, too."
Not ashamed to show his affection for his mother in public, Jimmywrapped his strong young arms about her in a loving hug. "I'm going tobe a regular angel Sammy," he whispered. "I'm going to make you proud ofme. Maybe by the time I come home for Thanksgiving I'll be a general orsomething. I guess it'll be 'or something,'" he added with ahalf-hearted attempt at humor. "If I can get a pass to come and see youbefore then, you know I'll do it. It's only a few hours' ride in thetrain from here to Camp Sterling. So cheer up, best Mother. I'll beback driving Old Speedy around town again before you know it."
For a little the two boys lingered there, then with the sound of fond,final farewells in their ears they climbed the steps of the rear car andwere lost for an instant to view. Almost immediately a window on theside next the platform went up and two heads emerged therefrom. Far downthe track the engine was already sending forth premonitory warnings.They were followed by the creaking jar of ponderous iron wheels about tobe set to their work of separating the Khaki Boys from home.
By this time every window casing of the car framed boyish faces, peeringeagerly out for a last exchange of looks and words with the home folks.As the train began to show signs of moving, a pretty girl, laden with abouquet of long-stemmed red roses, now flung it straight toward a rearwindow of the car from which a soldier boy leaned far out, his eyesfixed upon her. His right arm shot out in a wild attempt to catch it. Itfell short of his extended fingers by a bare inch or so and dropped.Quick as lightning a uniformed figure on the lowest step of the train'srear platform sprang for it, fairly snatching it up as it was about toroll under the slowly revolving iron wheels. Pausing only to raise hiscap to the thrower, the officer who had retrieved the flowers fromdestruction swung aboard the train and disappeared into the car. Thenext second the soldier for whom the bouquet had been intended wastriumphantly waving it out the window.
The hearty cheering which had begun with the first shudder of the trainincreased to wild applause of the little act of gallantry. Inside thecar the young volunteers were also voicing noisy appreciation. It wasmerely an incident, and yet it served to impress on those left behindthe belief that the welfare of their boys was in good hands.
As the train continued to move slowly out of the long shed the cheeringwas kept up. This time it was for the Khaki Boys themselves. It met withan equally fervent response on their part, accompanied by a franticwaving of hands, hats and handkerchiefs. The Khaki Boys were started atlast on the first stretch of the Glory Road.