Adventure Magazine Cover, November 10, 1924 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

8 Adventure The flies buzzed and Eadie shoved up the window to drive them forth. A warm breeze blew in. He could hear feet on the gravel, a heavy tread, probably a relief of the guard. From the next block, beyond the stockade, came the crack of a baseball bat and excited cries. It was Spring, and Spring is no time for a man to be in prison, “No, sir!’ cried the sergeant suddenly, “I’m going through with it! Ive got the straight dope and I’m going to fight this war in my own outfit!”’ He looked quickly at the hairy man to see if he had awakened, but the other slum- bered heavily. “Yup,” continued the sergeant in a softer tone, “I’m going to get back to my outfit if I have to swim.” Just before retreat the other men that lived in that barrack came back. When the whistle blew they lined up in their dun- garees and were checked over carefully. “Tonight,”’ announced the acting first sergeant, “‘there’ll be a full pack inspection, show down on the bunks. Any one that’s shy any article of equipment, can draw it before seven o’clock.” Then the men were dismissed. The band was too far off to be heard, so that the ceremonious part of the formation was omitted. “What’s the idea of this full pack in- spection?” Eadie asked the man ahead of him in the supper line. “Have one every coupla days,”’ the man. “I know, but prisoners don’t usually take anything to the mill but a pair of blankets.”’ “‘We ain’t real prisoners. None o’ these guys did anything but overstay leave or go absent. ‘They got a stall goin’ around that a guy that goes absent gets sent overseas immediately, an’ they issue out tin hats and all that stuff just to scare us.” “Don’t you think they’ll ship us over right away?” “No, I don’t. There’s too much work to do. See that skinny guy over there? The feller with the shirt that’s got sleeves that don’t match? Well, he’s been absent about six times. Every time he does his month and gets assigned to an outfit to go overseas he beats it to Tenafly an’ don’t come back till they go. There’s a lot like him. Fat chance o’ sendin’ him across.”’ “T read in the paper,” said Eadie, “‘that answered they sure meant it this time when they said that a bird that overstayed or went A. W. O. L. went across on the first boat.” “?Sall bull,” answered the other man. “TI don’t believe it.” The door of the mess shack swung open just then and the line slid through the door- way like a ravenous snake. During the meal a sergeant with a list of names in his hand touched Eadie on the shoulder. “Right after supper,” said he, “report to the supply sergeant. Draw an outfit an’ beat it back as quick as you can. Every one gets a jab an’ vaccinated before the inspection.”’ “Hey,” cried Eadie, “I’ve been jabbed three times already. Man, I’ve got enough triple typhoid in me to sterilize the Philip- pines.” “Got any papers to show it?” “No, but = “Jab for you. It’s good for yuh. Keeps you from havin’ typhoid. Cost you twen- ty-five bucks on the outside.” “Now, listen——”’ “Shut up! You’re gonna get a jab an’ that’s all there is to it!” Perceiving that every face in the mess hall was turned in his direction, Eadie held his peace. If they wanted to fill his veins full of antityphoid serum there was no way to stop them. It would take three weeks to do it properly, though, and he hoped he’d be at sea before the expiration of that time. wae WHEN he returned from the supply & “ae sergeant, burdened with tin hat, fume shelter half and enough tinware to each a hardware store, he found the hairy man trying to dispose his own store of use- ful articles on his bunk. “‘There’s a bunk down there in the corner made up the way we’re supposed to do ours,” said the hairy man, ‘‘but I can’t seem to fit my stuff the way he does his.” ““Let’s go look at it,” said Eadie, and casting his burden on the floor, he and the other went down to the specimen bunk. It was a neat looking affair. The shelter half was spread out and at one end were two blankets, at the other slicker and over- coat. Between the two were disposed in an orderly manner, tent pins and poles, spare socks and underwear, extra hobnails, steel helmet, mess-kit, bacon and condiment can, razor, soap and towels, a Red Cross helmet and sweater and a pack carrier. CoMmicbook A) © =