Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

50 “We got the order about two days after you was gone. We got off the train at Chatter Theery last night. I told you you ought to stuck around. Why there was rumors about our goin’ betore you had your brain-storm even.’ : “What: did the Old Man say when he came back and found me gone?” To this sergeant Olsen did not reply, but inhaled his breath slightly, as his eye wan- dered over Nell’s shoulder. “IT said you were a voice. Nell swung about and beheld his former troop commander. “What the was the matter with you, Colburn?” asked the captain. ‘Don’t you know you might have been hung for taking that German out with you? And why didn’t you wait until I came back before you pulled out of camp that way?” “T couldn’t, sir. They shoved me in with that replacement outfit and away we went. {just had time to get a pack carrier and a new rifle.” “Well, did you get up to the front?” “Tl say I did,” said Nell. “Are you satisfied?” asked the captain. “Vl say I am.” The captain turned to Sergeant Olsen. “How many spare horses have we?” ‘Seven, sir,”’ said the sergeant. “How about equipment?” ‘‘Well, Terrio will have to turn in his, he’s ‘going to hospital this morning.”’ “We ought to have a man to ride one of those horses.”’ The captain looked at Nell and then walked away. The sergeant nudged his former comrade in the ribs. “Yuh on, kid, yuh on?” he grinned. “It appears to me,” said Nell soberly, “that the old man is incitin’ me to desert fool!’ said a my outfit.” ‘Desert ! This is your outfit. Come on eat; breakfast is ready.” NELL thought a moment. He had another hour before his com- pany would be up. He might as well eat with the boys, anyway. He went up to the kitchen and a reception was staged that was a bit uproarious. The stable sergeant would not allow Nell to eat a mouthful until he had taken him back to the line and showed him his horse. The top-sergeant tried to pump Nell = Adventure about the front, but on that subject Nell was as silent as a clam. After breakfast Nell went back to the picket line and leaned against the escort wagon, while he and Ser- geant Olsen changed some Bull Durham into smoke. ‘Goin’ with us?” asked the sergeant. “Tm afraid not,” said Nell, “I’m afraid not. J got a company over there I got to take care of.”’ “A company!” “Yup,acompany. They made mea looey for some crazy stuff I did up on the lines.” “Did they make yuh, or did they recom- mend yuh to be made?” asked the sergeant looking meaningly at Nell. “They recommended me,”’ “Oh,” said the sergeant. Nell thought on that fora while. It was one thing to be recommended and another thing to be approved. Still, it was ‘worth waiting to find out about. “Well,” continued the sergeant, cy sup- pose that was what you had in mind when you got so all-fired eager to go up to the front.” “That’s whatever,’ agreed Nell. “What?” shrieked the sergeant. come?” “Do you mind that letter I got from young Duff, that got sent to officers trainin’ camp with me and got commissioned? Well, he’s a first lieutenant now, and if I couldn’t be a better soldier than he is, I’d put in for a transfer to the medical corps. And bein’ filled up with the swill the papers pass out, I thought the war was about over an’ if I was goin’ to get a commission, I’d better get after it. It was too late to go to a trainin’ camp, so the only way I knew of was to get one for gallantry. Well, to tell you the truth, I forgot all about it after a while, but I got it just the same.” ‘Nell Colburn,” said the sergeant, aghast, “T always said that you wasn’t right in the head. What the ’$ a commission in the doughboys?”’ In B troop, the man who had sung when he put out the hay was still singing as he took off the nose bags and piled them where their owners could get them. “T’d rather be a woodshed in my father’s back yard, Than be a first lootenant in the national guard. Oh, tell me how long must I hes-o-tate, Can I have you now, or have I got to wait?” said Nell. ‘How ‘“‘Sounds reasonable,’’ remarked the ser- geant. COMIGDIOOKSEEO