55

 “Say, you’re getting quite dramatic,” commented Frank, as he drew nearer to the poster, which was one of two put on a V-shaped board standing in front of a hall entrance, in which was a placard announcing 

NAVY RECRUITING STATION

 “Dramatic!” echoed Ned. “I guess you’d get dramatic, too, if you saw starvation staring you in the face.” 

 “Worse and more of it,” murmured his brother. 

 “Well, what do you think of it?” asked Ned, as Frank continued to stare at the poster. “We’ve got to do something, so why not do this? You know we’ve both been keen on getting on a battleship, and this is our chance. Maybe we wouldn’t have come to it if it hadn’t been for our misfortune. I’m sure we can pass the examination,” he went on. He and his brother were in excellent physical trim, for they were active lads, always in training. 

 “Well, since you’ve brought up the matter,” said Frank, speaking slowly, “I don’t mind telling you, Ned, that I had something like this in mind all along.” 

 “You did?” 

 “Sure. After the crash, and when Uncle Phil 56 had to go away, I knew there’d be a shortage of money. Now, though we have pretty good educations, we haven’t been trained for any work yet. So I looked into this navy business, knowing you were as crazy about battleships as I was, and I found out that not only does Uncle Sam train young fellows to be good sailors, marines and soldiers, but by enlisting in the navy you can acquire a trade at which you can earn your living if you want to quit after your term of enlistment is up.” 

56

 “Is that so?” asked Ned. 

 “It sure is. Why we can learn to become machinists, bakers, firemen, shipwrights, plumbers and fitters, boiler makers, cooks or musicians.” 

 “Really?” cried Ned. 

 “Well, I should say so! I read it all up. But your proposition sort of took me—er—” 

 “Call it amidships, if we are to enlist,” suggested Ned, with a laugh. 

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