Adventure Magazine Cover, November 10, 1924 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

The Casual’s Return “What’s the grand idea?” asked Eadie, “You figure on carrying rations as well as water?” “Nope,” said Jake, “but I don’t have no desire to get cast away on some desert island without my little comforts,” “Comforts?” “Sure, comforts. Got the bacon can full of plug tobacco. Bought it in the canteen with my last dollar.” “And what in the other?”’ “Snuff.” The convoy did not make as much progress as the men desired. The ships loafed along—they were zigzagging now, although it was not apparent from any of the ships’ decks—and it was not until the night of the third day that the happy word was spread that the ship would dock the next day. It was not known where she would dock, France or England, Brest or Southampton, but somewhere she would come to land, and the weary soldiers would be rid of her at last. The men were dirty, their uniforms were begrimed with soot from the black decks, the compartments gave up a stench that was very nearly un- bearable. There was no way the lower decks could be ventilated and after the air had been breathed and breathed and breathed, and burdened with exhalations | from dirty overcoats and foul blankets and the expirations from a few hundred un- washed skins, the air was bound to be a bit strong. The air on this ship was so strong it was amazing it did not burst the bulkheads. After supper that night Eadie suggested that they go down into the compartment and make up their packs for the last time. They had taken their haversacks up to the stateroom to keep their shaving articles in and, having secured these, they went down the ladders to the hold. Jake went to his own bunk and left Eadie at his, promising to rejoin him shortly. Eadie, with the as- sistance of one of the other men, rolled up his blankets, strapped them into the pack carrier, hooked on the cartridge belt and laid the roll in his bunk with his slicker over it. “Where the bubblin’ —— you been all this time?” cried an impolite voice at the sergeant’s shoulder. | “Who wants to know?” asked Eadie, turning. “T want to know, that’s who!” Behold the regimental supply sergeant, 27 the man who was first sergeant of Eadie’s casual company and whom Eadie had not seen since they had left the dock. “T want to know,” continued the supply sergeant, “just who the —— you think you are! Can’t find you for guard, can’t find you for a —— thing. Don’t sleep in the bunk at night. You and that big onion head been layin’ up somewhere! Been runnin’ a sandy, huh? Not on me.you ain't” | “Well, what’s all the row about?” asked Eadie in surprize. “Did you want my bunk? What difference does it make whether I slept in it or not?” “Tt don’t make no difference,” foamed the first sergeant, ‘but I had to do two guards that you shoulda done! That there com- pany commander says to find you or do your guard, and how was I to find you? Well, I’ve found you now! Yes, sir, and in- deed. Right here at your bunk, I found ou.” “Yessir,” agreed Eadie, “by hen!’ The other man’s face grew purple. “‘You’re under arrest!’ he snarled. “The company commander’s gonna try youl I’ve i good mind to put a guard over you.” “T won’t run away,” grinned Eadie. “You wait!” said the first sergeant, going away. “You wait.. You might as well cut off them stripes now.”’ Then he disappeared around the ends of the bunks. ‘“‘What’s all the chew about?” asked Jake, coming over from his own bunk. “‘The top kick has been bawling me out,” said Eadie. “Sergeant,”’ spoke up the man who had helped roll Eadie’s blankets, “that top used to come down here every hour or so lookin’ for you. He sat in that bunk all one day when you was due for guard, waitin’ for you. I learned some words I never knew before that day. He’s got a dirty mouth, that fellar.” : “T’ll give yuh two bits for them stripes,” spoke up another bystander. “T’m not selling them,” answered Eadie. “A soldier gave them to me and it’ll take a soldier to take them gway again.” For all that he did not feel so gay at the prospect of a trial. The new army did some foolish things. : “Come on, Jake,” said Eadie, “‘let’s go on e CoOmiclhoo ©