The Motor Boys in the Army; or, Ned, Bob and Jerry as VolunteersYoung, Clarence
General
The Motor Boys in the Army; or, Ned, Bob and Jerry as Volunteers
Young, Clarence
Adventure stories; United States. Army -- Juvenile fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile fiction
“And look who’s here to kiss little Bob good-bye!” exclaimed Ned.
“Who is it?” asked Chunky.
“Miss Helena Schaeffer,” was the answer. “Oh, Bob! Oh, boy! Go to it!”
CHAPTER XI
OFF TO CAMP DIXTON
Bob Baker did not flinch in what might be called the “face of the
enemy.”
True, Helena was not exactly an enemy, though her father had helped
to organize the pro-German meeting. But Helena was a girl who, in a
measure, thought for herself. She did not altogether agree with the
opinions held by her father and his Fatherland friends, though she had
heard many stories of the achievements of the Kaiser and his chosen
ones. Also she had heard, not from her father, other stories that
reflected anything but glory on German arms.
And so, when Helena knew that the motor boys were about to take the
train that, eventually, would land them at Camp Dixton, she decided to
go to say good-bye to Bob Baker.
Naturally, she did not tell her father of her intention, and,
naturally, Mr. Schaeffer was as far as possible from the station from
which the recruits departed. He did not care to see such activities on
the part of loyal Cresvillians in favor of Uncle Sam.
It was a violation of the constitutional rights of the young men to be
placed in a position where they might have to fight on foreign soil,
Mr. Schaeffer claimed. Mr. Pfeiffer had said so and he ought to know.
“Well, Helena, I am glad to see you,” remarked Bob, when he found
himself near the blue-eyed girl.
“Are you?” she inquired, and her voice was not very warm.
“Of course I am!” he insisted. “It’s no end good of you to come down to
see me off.”
“Well, I thought I’d come,” she said, a bit shyly. “I--I’m sorry we had
that little difference of opinion. But you know--you know, I’ve always
liked you, Bob.”
“I hope so, Helena.”
“But you know war is a terrible thing!”
“Are you sorry to see me go?”
“Of course I am! I’m afraid you won’t come back.” And for the first
time she showed a little emotion.
“Oh, I’ll come back all right!” declared Bob, as he took her hand.
“Let go!” she exclaimed. “Some one will see us!”
“I don’t care!” declared the stout one. “I like you a lot, Helena, and
I’m sorry your father----”
“Please don’t speak of him!” she begged quickly. “I must do as my
father says, and, though I like you, I--I--that is, he says--well, he
doesn’t believe in this war!”
“I’m afraid he’ll have to come to believe in it,” said Bob. “We all
will. It’s a war that’s got to be fought to a finish. I’m sorry for the
peace-loving Germans, if there are any, who don’t hold with the Kaiser,
but I’m against all who do! We’re in this war to win, Helena!”
The girl did not answer. She seemed struggling with some emotion. The
distant whistle of a train was heard, and the recruits, some of whom
formed the centers of rather tearful groups, prepared to gather up
their luggage.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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