is designated in Army slang. It is a term of mild derision.
Corporal Dodds paused long enough at the recruiting office to turn over his key to the sergeant; then he led the way to the street, across to the Sixth Avenue Elevated road, and thence they embarked on a train bound down town.
All the way to the Battery Corporal Dodds did not furnish his pair of recruits with more than a dozen words by way of conversation.
But neither Hal nor Noll felt much like talking. Though either would have died sooner than admit it, each was suffering, just then from acute homesickness, and also from a secret dread that the Army might not turn out to be as rosy as they had painted it in their imagination.
"This way to the Army ferry," directed Corporal Dodds, leading them across the Battery.
Once aboard a small steamer that flew the flag of the Quartermaster's Department, United States Army, Corporal Dodds watched his two young rookies as though he suspected they would desert if they got a chance.
After the ferry had left the slip, however, Dodds paid no more heed to them. He at least left them free to end it all by jumping over into the bay, if they wished to do so.
Finding that he was under no restrictions, Private Hal Overton, United States Army, sauntered forward to the bow. Private Noll Terry, feeling, if anything a bit more forlorn, followed him.
Just as they were nearing the dock at Bedloe's Island, Noll ventured:
"I wonder how Tip Branders feels about now."
"I wonder," muttered Hal.
CHAPTER V
IN THE AWKWARD SQUAD
ONCE they were ashore our young rookies found Bedloe's Island a very much larger bit of real estate than it appears to the passerby on a steamboat.
It was, in fact, a long walk from the dock to the adjutant's office at headquarters.
"Hit up the stride, rookies," ordered Corporal Dodds. "Double-time march – hike. Don't keep the post adjutant from his luncheon."
Corporal Dodds' real reason for haste was that he had a crony in one of the squad rooms at barracks whom he wanted to see as early as possible.
Shortly the rookies and their guide entered the adjutant's office. The adjutant proved to be a captain of infantry with a corporal and two privates on duty in his office as clerks.
"Sir, I report with two recruits," announced Corporal Dodds, coming to a salute, which the adjutant returned.
"Their papers?" asked the adjutant.
"Here, sir."
"Very good, Corporal. You may go."
Turning to the chums Captain Anderson asked:
"You are Overton?"
"Yes, sir," Hal replied, doing his best to salute as neatly as Corporal Dodds had. Again the adjutant returned the salute in kind. "Then you are Terry?" he asked, turning.
"Yes, sir," Noll returned, not omitting to salute.
The adjutant called to his principal clerk.
"Corporal, make the proper entries for these men. Then take them over to Sergeant Brimmer's squad room."
With that the adjutant picked up his uniform cap and left the office, all the enlisted men present rising and standing at attention until he had closed the door after him.
The corporal made the necessary entries, then rose and picked up his own uniform cap.
"Come with me, rookies," he directed briefly.
So Hal and Noll followed, feeling within them another surge of that curiously lonely and depressed feeling.
This corporal led them into the barracks building, and down a corridor on the ground floor. He paused, at last, before a door that he flung open. Striding into the room, the corporal looked about him.
Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.
Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».
Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.
Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.
