The Khaki Boys at Camp Sterling; Or, Training for the Big Fight in FranceChase, Josephine
General
The Khaki Boys at Camp Sterling; Or, Training for the Big Fight in France
Chase, Josephine
World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
"I can guess who was to blame for that," he sputtered angrily to Jimmy.
"Eldridge put up that job on me. Bix went away on the same train we
did. The other sneak didn't. It's up to him. I know it."
"Funny he didn't do the same to the rest of us," commented Jimmy.
"Oh, he wasn't particular as to which of us got it," snapped Bob.
"Probably he just dumped those papers and beat it in a hurry. Makes me
sick. It's the first time I've got it in the neck since I came to
Sterling. I don't mind the detail. It's being dished that makes me sore.
The worst of it is, I couldn't say a word. Just had to stand and take it
from the Sarge."
"Oh, well, it's no great disgrace," comforted Jimmy. "Think of poor
Schnitz."
"I am and I have. Do you realize that his trial is bound to come off
before long? According to our manual, thirty days, with an additional
ten added if approved by military authorities, is the longest a case can
hang fire. I don't know whether that holds good in Schnitz's case. I
should think so, though. Anyhow, we've not done a thing for him. We've
got to get busy and do something."
"What?" Jimmy made a gesture of despair.
"I don't know yet, but I do know that it's got to be done mighty soon."
Bob shot a baleful glance across the squad room toward Eldridge, who was
seated cross-legged on his cot, undoing a small package. "Look at him!"
muttered Bob, as the man proceeded to tear the outside wrapper into
strips. "More rubbish for Bobby to cart away."
Jimmy's eyes followed Bob's. Suddenly he gripped the latter's arm.
"Maybe he got that package in the mail. Maybe it's from his home.
Maybe----"
"Great guns!" exclaimed Bob softly, and swung round, his back toward
Eldridge. "Don't let him see you rubbering, Blazes. You've given me a
jolt, though. I'm going to watch what he does with those strips of paper
and nab 'em. Oh, boy! Why is Bobby on police duty?"
The paper presently went into a receptacle at one end of the squad room,
provided for that purpose. When supper call sounded, Bob declined to
answer it. "You fellows go ahead," he directed. "I don't want any
supper. Later on I'll go down to the canteen, and fill up on cakes and
milk. This is my chance, and I'm going to take it."
The moment the squad room had emptied itself, Bob sped to the rubbish
can. Fortunately for him, the scraps of paper he sought were of a dull
grayish green, and thus easily distinguished from the rest of the can's
contents. Quickly, but thoroughly, he searched, making sure that he had
every scrap of the paper he sought in his possession. Too shrewd to
attempt to piece them together in the squad room, he wrapped them in a
handkerchief, and hurried off to the Y. M. C. A.
It was over an hour later when he returned to barracks, his black eyes
snapping with triumph.
"I know what I know," he exulted, dropping down beside Jimmy, who was
seated on his cot. "Come on outside and I'll show you something. Where
are the fellows?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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