they'd make the Rock of Ages look like a
loose front tooth. And all I got to do is pull 'em up by the roots, one at a
time. Ha, ha! Likewise, tee-hee!"
It sized up like a bad case of bee bite with me at the wrong end of the
stinger. Still, I was just mulish enough to stick around. I had nearly
three hours left before I'd have to listen to the major's mirthsome cackle,
and I might as well spend part of it thinkin' up fool schemes. So I walks
around that cluster of cement-set spools some more. I even climbs on
top of one and gazes up and down the block.
They were still doing things to make it look less like a city street and
more like the ruins of Louvain. Down near the Fifth Avenue gates was
the fenced-in mouth of a shaft that led somewhere into the bowels of
Manhattan. And while I was lookin' out climbs a dago, unrolls a dirty
red flag, and holds up the traffic until a dull "boom" announces that the
offensive is all over for half an hour or so. Up towards Columbus
Circle more industry was goin' on. A steam roller was smoothin' out a
strip of pavement that had just been relaid, and nearer by a gang was
tearin' up more of the asphalt. I got kind of interested in the way they
was doin' it, too. You know, they used to do this street wreckin' with
picks and crowbars, but this crowd seemed to have more modern
methods. They was usin' three of these pneumatic drills and they sure
were ripping it up slick and speedy. About then I noticed that their
compressor was chugging away nearly opposite me and that the lines of
hose stretched out fifty feet or more.
"Say!" says I jerky and breathless, but to nobody in particular. I was
just registerin' the fact that I'd had a sudden thought.
A few minutes before, too, I'd seen a squad of rookies wander past and
into the park. I remembered noticin' what a husky, tanned lot they were,
and from their hat cords that they belonged to the artillery branch. Well,
that was enough. In a flash I'd shinned over the stone wall and was
headin' 'em off.
You know how these cantonment delegations wander around town
aimless when they're dumped down here on leave waiting to be shunted
off quiet onto some transport? No friends, mighty little money, and
nothing to do but tramp the streets or hang around the Y. They actually
looked kind of grateful when I stops 'em and returns their salute. As
luck would have it there's a top sergeant in the bunch, so I don't have to
make a reg'lar speech.
"It's this way, sergeant," says I. "I'm looking for a few volunteers."
"There's ten of us, sir," says he, "with not a thing on our hands but
time."
"Then perhaps you'll help me put over something on a boss ditch
digger," says I. "It's nothing official, but it may help General Pershing a
whole lot."
"We sure will," says the sergeant. "Now then, men. 'Shun! And forget
those dope sticks for a minute. How'll you have 'em, lieutenant--twos or
fours?"
"Twos will look more impressive, I guess," says I. "And just follow
me."
"Fall in!" says the sergeant. "By twos! Right about! March!"
So when I rounds into the street again and bears down on this gang
foreman I has him bug-eyed from the start. He don't seem to know
whether he's being pinched or not.
"What's your name, my man?" says I, wavin' the Q. M.'s order
threatenin'.
It's Mike something or other, as I could have guessed without him near
chokin' to get it out.
"Very well, Mike," I goes on, as important as I knew how. "See those
spools over there that you people have done your best to bury? Well,
those have been requisitioned from the Telephone Company by the U.
S. army. Here's the order. Now I want you to get busy with your drill
gang and cut 'em loose."
"But--but see here, boss," sputters Mike, "'tis a private contract they're
workin' on and I couldn't be after----"
"Couldn't, eh?" says I. "Lemme tell you something. That wire has to go
on a transport that's due to sail the first thing in the morning. It's for the
Signal Corps and they need it to stretch a headquarters' line into
Berlin."
"Sorry, boss," said Mike, "but I wouldn't dast to----"
"Sergeant," says I, "do your duty."
Uh-huh! That got Mike all right. And when we'd yanked him up off his
knees and convinced him that he wouldn't be shot for an hour or so yet
he's so thankful that he gets those drills
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