The plan for a journey into Tremont, having been duly discussed, it but remained to the three young men to obtain the desired passes for Saturday afternoon. Tremont was the only city of importance within a radius of seventy-five miles. It lay about twenty miles east of the camp. Soon after the making of Camp Sterling a line of automobile busses had sprung up to do a thriving business between there and Tremont. There were also many regularly licensed jitney automobiles that went to and fro for the accommodation of both soldiers and visitors, not to mention their own individual profit. "We can go to Tremont in one of those Cinderella pumpkins for seventy-five cents, or we can give up a plunk apiece and ride in style in a jit. You pays your money and you takes your choice," declared Bob. At first sight he had attached the appellation of Cinderella pumpkins to the big yellow uncomfortable busses operated by a business concern in Tremont. "Me for a regular buzz wagon. I wouldn't wear out my bones bouncing around in one of those bumpety-bump Noah's Arks if I was paid to ride in it," objected Jimmy disdainfully. "What's a quarter more beside Jimmy Blazes's delicate little bones!" jeered Bob. "Did you ever ride in one of those rattle-traps?" retorted Jimmy. "No, my son, and I don't intend to," beamed Bob. "I've seen other fellows ride in 'em." CHAPTER XI THE RESULT OF STAYING AWAKE "So long, Iggy, old top. We'll be back by midnight," called out Jimmy Blazes from the front seat of the automobile which was to take Roger, Bob and himself into Tremont for their Wednesday outing. "You'll never know when midnight comes, Iggy." Bob leaned out of the tonneau of the machine, his black eyes twinkling. "Better watch yourself to-night, or you'll be dropping off at eight o'clock, sitting up straight, and morning'll find you flopped over still in your uniform. You won't have any nice kind brothers around this evening to shake you awake before Taps." Bob teasingly referred to Ignace's tendency to doze off early in the evening while sitting on his cot. "Why not be a hero and stay awake for once just to see that your little Buddies get back O. K.?" "So will I," assured Ignace with deep decision. "Goo'-bye." The automobile now starting, he nodded solemnly and raised his hand in a familiar gesture of farewell which Bob always called "Iggy's benediction style." "I believe he will, at that," remarked Roger, as the car rolled down the company street. "You shouldn't have told him to do it, Bob." "Oh, he understood this time that I was only kidding him," was the light rejoinder. "Look who's here!" he exclaimed, as the car stopped at a hail from a waiting group of six soldiers. Crowded into the tonneau with strangers, neither Bob nor Roger saw fit to continue the subject of Ignace. Both were soon exchanging good-humored commonplaces with their soldier companions of the ride.