one here at camp might. So he came with us, and I believe he's going to ask you boys to use your influence to get him into the army."

"A heap of influence we have!" laughed Ned. "Privates--with Jerry just made corporal."

"Well, Andy was very nice to us on the way down," said Helen, "so please do all you can for him."

"We will!" promised Jerry. "And now tell us about yourselves, and how all the folks are at home. Oh, but it's great to see you again!"

Then followed a talk until it was time for the three chums to report for drill duty.

"What are you girls going to do this evening?" asked Bob.

The girls looked at one another.

"Oh, just sit around, I suppose," remarked Mollie.

"No, you're not!" cried Jerry. "There's a dance in town--a really nice place--and we've been wishing for some girls to come along to help us out. It's under the auspices of the local Y. W. C. A. And if we can get off----""Oh, we'll get off all right!" broke in Ned eagerly. "If worst comes to worst, we'll have the professor ask the colonel on our behalf. The prof seems to pull a pretty good stroke with the C. O. So a dance it is to be!" declared Bob.

And a dance it was. The boys received permission to remain away from camp until midnight, passes being issued to them, and they at once proceeded to "doll up," as Bob expressed it. A joyous week followed, for the girls were to remain in the vicinity of Camp Dixton, at Mollie's aunt's house for some time, and they asked nothing better than to have the company of the three chums as often as it might be possible.

Of course, Ned, Bob and Jerry did not have very much time to themselves during the day, and some of their nights were occupied. But fate was kind to them, and they had several dances with the girls, and also went to "shows" at the local Y. M. C. A., as well as entertaining the girls by escorting them about the cantonment.

Meanwhile, Professor Snodgrass received permission to loose his pet snake, Ticula, in certain restricted areas, so that he might observe her feeding habits in the open.

"But I cannot stay here very long," he told the boys. "I must soon begin to prepare for my trip to Europe. I simply must make an attempt to find those two girls."

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