“It’s a little late for the doctor to-day,” went on the sergeant, when he had written down the replies of Frank and Ned. “You’ll have to be pretty thoroughly looked over by him. Can you come back to-morrow?” he asked. 

 “Sure,” replied Frank. 

 “And now—er—I don’t want to butt in, but how are you fixed for money? You said you were robbed, and—” 

 “Well, we have a little left,” said Frank. 

 “Now, I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” broke in the sergeant. “I’ll just send you to my boarding place, and be responsible for you. There is a vacant room there you can bunk in. If you are accepted you can easily pay the small charge from your wages. If you are turned down—well, I guess it won’t break me to stake you to one night’s lodging.” 

 “Oh, perhaps we have enough,” said Frank, quickly. 

 “Save what money you have, friend!” interrupted the officer, with a smile and a wave of his hand. “You may need it before you begin drawing any cash from Uncle Sam. Now you can sit here until my trick is up, which will be in about two hours, or you can go out and see the town. Come back about five-thirty, and I’ll take you to my place.” 

 “I guess we’ve seen about all of the town we 61 care to,” said Ned, significantly, patting the empty pocket where the watch had rested. 

61

 “We could go up and get our valises,” suggested Frank. 

 “Good idea,” the sergeant told him. “Go ahead, and come back here, where I’ll meet you.” 

 As Frank and Ned went down to the street again the younger lad remarked: 

 “Well, we’ve joined the navy. Now we’re going to be the two boys of the battleship.” 

 “We’ve joined all right,” agreed Frank, “but we haven’t actually been accepted. The doctor has yet to see us.” 

 “Oh, we’ll pass all right,” asserted Ned, confidently. 

62CHAPTER IX—AT THE TRAINING STATION

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