the group.
Just now Jimmie was not wearing the Boy Scout uniform. Instead he was
dressed in the uniform of a Russian Cossack, and this was the immediate
reason for the controversy that had arisen between the boy and the
German officer. Those of our readers who have followed the adventures
of the boys as related in previous volumes of this series, and
particularly that entitled "Boy Scouts with the Cossacks, or Poland
Recaptured," will at once recall the exciting circumstances that
resulted in Jimmie's donning the Cossack uniform and the reason for the
presence of the four boys in Peremysl at this time.
Jimmie seemed to be too much overcome by his emotion at what he
considered rank injustice to be able to carry on rational conversation.
"I tell you, Ned," he sputtered, "just because I happen to have on some
clothes a little different from others they needn't think I'm any
different myself! I'll fix his clock, all right!"
"Don't forget about using slang, Jimmie!" cautioned Ned, half laughing.
"But you see the German officer, von Liebknecht, is really more than a
little bit right at that."
"How's that?" inquired Jimmie in astonishment.
"They say clothes don't make the man," replied Ned, "but in a great
many cases clothes are like one's reputation--they play an important
part in other people's estimate of us. In this case, for instance, the
Germans have just captured this city from the Russians. You are
discovered wearing a Russian Cossack uniform, and they naturally and
almost excusably conclude that the wearer of the uniform is a subject
of the country it represents."
"Oh, I see," slowly replied the lad, nodding his red head.
"Yes, Jimmie," put in Harry Stevens, "you see it pays to 'Be Prepared,'
just as our motto says. We never can tell just when we'll be required
to depend upon our reputation or our uniform for a favorable opinion
from those who see us or hear of us."
"That's all very well," interrupted Jack Bosworth, "but how are we to
get Jimmie out of this predicament? General or Captain von Liebknecht
seems to think that he's going to make a German soldier out of Jimmie
just to keep him out of harm's way, and I don't like it."
"Perhaps we can find some of the other uniforms or clothes of some sort
for Jimmie to change into," suggested Harry eagerly.
Ned shook his head in a despondent manner.
"I'm afraid that wouldn't work, boys," he said presently. "We would
only be caught at it an
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