Uncle Sam's Boys in the Ranks: or, Two Recruits in the United States Army. Hancock Harrie Irving
Both were too full of thoughts of the Army and of the service. When Hal did dream it was of Indians and Filipinos.
Both were up early, and had breakfast out of the way in record time – and then they hurried to Madison Square. They reached there ten minutes ahead of time.
The sergeant, however, came along five minutes later, and admitted them to the recruiting office.
Hardly had they stepped inside when Tip and his mother also appeared. Then came the other enlisted men stationed at this office. Punctually at the stroke of nine Lieutenant Shackleton entered, lifted his uniform cap to Mrs. Branders and entered his own inner office.
"Now you kids will get orders to skin back home," jeered Tip, in a low tone, as he glanced over at Hal and Noll.
"No pleasantries of that sort here," directed the sergeant, glancing up from his desk.
The door of the inner office opened, and Lieutenant Shackleton stepped out.
"Overton and Terry, your references prove to be absolutely good. I will enlist you presently."
Then the officer moved over to where Tip Branders and his mother sat. Tip rose awkwardly.
"Branders, I'm sorry to say we must decline your enlistment," announced the recruiting officer, in a low tone.
"Wot's that?" demanded Tip unbelievingly.
"I find myself unable to accept you as a recruit in the Army," replied the lieutenant.
"Why, wot's the matter?" demanded Tip, thunderstruck. "Didn't I get by the sawbones all right?"
"If you mean the surgeon, yes," replied the recruiting officer. "But I regret to say that we do not receive satisfactory accounts of you from the home town."
"Wot's the matter? Somebody out home trying to give me the crisscross?" demanded Tip indignantly.
"We do not receive a satisfactory account of your character, Branders, and therefore you are not eligible for enlistment," went on Shackleton. "Madam, I am extremely sorry, but the regulations allow me to pursue no other course in the matter. I cannot enlist your son."
"See here, officer – " began Mrs. Branders hoarsely, as she got upon her feet.
"When addressing Mr. Shackleton, call him 'lieutenant,' not 'officer,'" murmured one of the orderlies in her ear.
"You mind your own business," flashed Mrs. Branders, turning her face briefly to the orderly. Then she wheeled, giving her whole attention to the lieutenant.
"See here, officer, do you mean to say that my boy ain't good enough to get into the Army?"
"I am sorry, madam, but the report we receive of his character isn't satisfactory," answered Shackleton quietly.
"What? My boy ain't good enough to go with the loafers and roughs in the Army?" cried Mrs. Branders angrily. "He's too good for 'em – a heap sight too good for any such low company! But s'posing Tip has been just a little frisky sometimes, what has that got to do with his being a soldier? I thought you wanted young fellows to fight – not pray!"
"The soldier who can do both makes the better soldier, madam," replied the lieutenant, feeling sorry for the mother's humiliation. "And now I will say good morning to you and your son, madam, for I am very busy to-day. Overton and Terry, come into my office."
Before turning, Lieutenant Shackleton bowed to Mrs. Branders as gracefully and courteously as he could have done to the President's wife. Then he started for his office, leaving Mrs. Branders and Tip to depart in bewilderment and anger.
Hal and Noll followed the lieutenant, trying not to let their faces betray any feeling over Tip's troubles.
"You still wish to enlist?" asked Shackleton, turning to the waiting lads, after he had seated himself.
"Yes, sir," answered both.
"Then you will sign the rolls," directed the recruiting officer, passing papers forward, dipping a pen in ink and passing it to Hal.
Hal signed, slowly, with a solemn feeling. It was Noll's turn next.
"I will now administer the oath," continued Lieutenant Shackleton gravely, as he rose at his desk. "Raise your right hand, Overton, and repeat after me."
This was the oath of service that Hal repeated:
"'I Henry Overton, do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America; that I will serve them honestly and faithfully against all their enemies whomsoever; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States, and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the rules and articles of war.'"
Then Noll took the same oath.
"You have already signed the same oath as a part of your enlistment contract," continued Lieutenant Shackleton. "I have now to certify that you have taken the oath and signed before me."
Seating himself once more the recruiting officer certified in the following form on each set of papers:
"Subscribed and duly sworn to before me this – day of – , A. D. —
"That is all," finished the recruiting officer. "You are now recruits in the United States Army. I wish you both all happiness and success. You will take your further orders from my sergeant, or from the corporal to whom he turns you over. You will probably find yourself at the recruit rendezvous at Bedloe's Island in time for dinner to-day."
Touching a button on his desk the lieutenant waited until the sergeant entered.
"Sergeant, turn these men over to Corporal Dodds. Come back in ten minutes for the papers."
"Very good, sir."
The sergeant led them down the corridor, opening a door and leading the way inside.
"Corporal Dodds, here are two recruits. Take care of them until I bring the papers."
"Very good, Sergeant."
The door closed.
"Help yourselves to chairs, or stand and look out of the window, if you'd rather," invited Corporal Dodds, who, himself, was seated at a small desk.
Hal and Noll tried sitting down at first. This soon became so irksome that they rose and went to one of the windows.
Corporal Dodds said nothing until the door opened once more, and the sergeant entered with an envelope.
"Here are the papers for Privates Overton and Terry. You are directed to see that the young men go with you on the eleven o'clock ferry to Bedloe's Island. You will report with these recruits to the post adjutant as usual."
"Very good, Sergeant," replied Corporal Dodds, and again the boys were alone with their present guide.
To the raw young recruits it was a tremendously solemn day, but to the corporal, it was simply a matter of dry routine.
"Ten-fifteen," yawned the corporal, at last. "Come along, rookies; nothing like being on time – in the Army, especially."
"Rookie" is the term by which a new recruit is designated in Army slang. It is a term of mild derision.
Corporal Dodds paused long enough at the recruiting office to turn over his key to the sergeant; then he led the way to the street, across to the Sixth Avenue Elevated road, and thence they embarked on a train bound down town.
All the way to the Battery Corporal Dodds did not furnish his pair of recruits with more than a dozen words by way of conversation.
But neither Hal nor Noll felt much like talking. Though either would have died sooner than admit it, each was suffering, just then from acute homesickness, and also from a secret dread that the Army might not turn out to be as rosy as they had painted it in their imagination.
"This way to the Army ferry," directed Corporal Dodds, leading them across the Battery.
Once aboard a small steamer that flew the flag of the Quartermaster's Department, United States Army, Corporal Dodds watched