“All right—it sort of took me amidships,” agreed Frank. “I was figuring on looking about New York a bit, trying to get work, perhaps, and then enlisting.” 

 “And you never told me. Though you did speak something about a chance to get near Atlanta, where Uncle Phil is imprisoned.” 

 “Yes, that was part of the game. You know 57 when a fellow used to enlist in the navy he was sent to a training ship. Well, that’s all done away with, and now the government has a number of naval training stations on shore, near the water, of course. There’s one at Norfolk, Virginia, and we might ask to be sent there. If we were, we could get leave and go to Atlanta, perhaps.” 

57

 “Say, you have it all thought out, haven’t you?” exclaimed Ned, admiringly. 

 “Not all,” Frank admitted. “And perhaps we couldn’t get to Atlanta after all. But it’s worth trying. So now I’m with you, old man, and we’ll enlist—or try to. Maybe they won’t take us.” 

 “Oh, I think they will,” Ned said, confidently. 

 A recruiting officer, in a natty uniform, looked at them closely as they entered the hallway. 

 “Looking for the recruiting office?” he asked, with a smile. 

 “Why—er—yes,” admitted Frank, a bit bashfully. 

 “One flight up—turn to your right,” he directed them. 

 Ned and Frank went into a barely-furnished room, where two or three men were sitting about. One had a sergeant’s chevrons on his sleeve, and to him Frank spoke. 

 “We’d like to enlist,” began the lad. 58 

58

 “That’s fine,” was the hearty response. “We’re looking for good lads, and you two seem to size up pretty well,” he added, drawing a pad of paper toward him. “Not running away from home, or anything like that, are you?” he asked, pleasantly enough. 

 “No; home sort of ran away from us,” answered Ned, with a laugh. 

 The sergeant looked at him closely for a moment, and then smiled himself. 

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