that they rose and went to one of the windows.

Corporal Dodds said nothing until the door opened once more, and the
sergeant entered with an envelope.

"Here are the papers for Privates Overton and Terry. You are directed to
see that the young men go with you on the eleven o'clock ferry to
Bedloe's Island. You will report with these recruits to the post
adjutant as usual."

"Very good, Sergeant," replied Corporal Dodds, and again the boys were
alone with their present guide.

To the raw young recruits it was a tremendously solemn day, but to the
corporal, it was simply a matter of dry routine.

"Ten-fifteen," yawned the corporal, at last. "Come along, rookies;
nothing like being on time--in the Army, especially."

"Rookie" is the term by which a new recruit is designated in Army slang.
It is a term of mild derision.

Corporal Dodds paused long enough at the recruiting office to turn over
his key to the sergeant; then he led the way to the street, across to
the Sixth Avenue Elevated road, and thence they embarked on a train
bound down town.

All the way to the Battery Corporal Dodds did not furnish his pair of
recruits with more than a dozen words by way of conversation.

But neither Hal nor Noll felt much like talking. Though either would
have died sooner than admit it, each was suffering, just then from acute
homesickness, and also from a secret dread that the Army might not turn
out to be as rosy as they had painted it in their imagination.

"This way to the Army ferry," directed Corporal Dodds, leading them
across the Battery.

Once aboard a small steamer that flew the flag of the Quartermaster's
Department, United States Army, Corporal Dodds watched his two young
rookies as though he suspected they would desert if they got a chance.

After the ferry had left the slip, however, Dodds paid no more heed to
them. He at least left them free to end it all by jumping over into the
bay, if they wished to do so.

Finding that he was under no restrictions, Private Hal Overton, United
States Army, sauntered forward to the bow. Private Noll Terry, feeling,
if anything a bit more forlorn, followed him.

Just as they were nearing the dock at Bedloe's Island, Noll ventured:

"I wonder how Tip Branders feels about now."

"I wonder," muttered Hal.

CHAPTER V

IN THE AWKWARD SQUAD

ONCE they were ashore our young rookies found Bedloe's Island a very
much larger bit of real estate than it appears to th