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Page 54
The Colonel regarded the boys with twinkling eyes.
"Sort of surprising, isn't it?" he said. "Not that this affair
would ever have come into your scheme of things at all, but for
one thing. I have got you over here, and in some ways it is
positively the worst fool thing I ever pulled off--taking the
responsibility of two kids like you, at a time like this."
"But, Colonel, please!" interrupted Porky. "Don't think I am
fresh, but just this once, while there is no one around, and no
one will know we are lacking in respect to you, sir, as a
superior, please, Colonel, let me tell you--"
"Go on," said the Colonel.
"Well," said Porky, "looks to us as though we were going to land
pretty soon, and we don't know where next nor anything about it;
but please, Colonel, just as long as you can, please let us stick
by you! We have got to; we promised Mrs. Bright; and, besides,
we don't look young, do we, Colonel? Now, honest, we don't!" He
felt of his chin. "The way it looks, we have got to shave pretty
quick, by next year anyhow. And we are tall; we are tall as you;
and we look older when we are good and dirty, and we will be that
mostly over here, I guess. And say, Colonel, we ain't afraid;
honest!"
"Oh, Lord!" groaned the Colonel. "That's the worst of it! If I
could put a little wholesome fear into your heads, I would feel
better. However, boys, I want your word of honor that you will
never make any serious move without consulting me."
"We promise!" said both boys, and Beany as an after-thought
repeated, "Not any serious in move."
"Then here is where we stand," said the Colonel, as the boys
approached closer to his chair.
"In two hours we will disembark. The harbor is clear, and it is
the first time in two weeks that any transports have been able to
come in as near as this. It is a great chance. I am glad of
this chance to tell you what the outlook is. I have been sent
over here, boys, to work directly with General Pershing. We will
be near and directly at the front all the time if our lives are
spared. I did not know this when we started. It was all in the
sealed orders that our late friend the mate was so anxious to get
into his possession. But about that later. Just what our duties
are to be I cannot tell until I have had a conference with the
General. Here is where you come in. As I understand it now, I
am to be in charge of a wing, not very many miles from
headquarters. I intend to use you as messengers. It is not a
light task. Heaven forgive me if I am the cause of bringing you
to harm! But the fact remains that as I see things, one life,
young or old, is no better than another in this great crisis. It
is up to every human being to do his or her part. Fate has led
you a long ways from home; and in spite of that coming crop of
whiskers, Porky, you are rather young. However, as I said, that
weighs nothing in the balance of necessity. Nothing! Man,
woman, child, we all must help. Man, woman, and child, we have
got to help, and now!
"I may not have another chance to talk to you privately for some
time. A few things are to be impressed on your minds. The first
is this. Take no foolish chances. Don't be foolhardy. We
cannot afford to waste our tools. And in this struggle tools are
what you are, not boys, not human beings that will feel cold, and
heat, and pain and privations; just tools. So take no chances.
"We will go right from the dock to General Pershing. I do not
know where he is. However, after I have seen him, I will know
where to place you. He will tell me if my plan for you as I have
outlined it is a good one. Rest assured that I will keep you as
near me as I possibly can.
"I have told you my first order. No chances other than the
chances of war. The second thing is to keep ourselves as clean
and as well as you possibly can. Take every safeguard that you
can possibly take. You do not want to be on the sick list the
time when I most need you. That's about all, boys. Don't forget
that I am always your friend."
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