Adventure Magazine Cover, November 10, 1924 — page 11: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Casual’s Return ‘‘That’s simple enough to lay out,” said Eadie. “You try it,” advised the other. They went back to their own corner and speedily became engulfed in a sea of clothing and hardware. Eadie spent a long time trying to put his haversack and pack carrier together, but finally flung it on the floor. “Say,” asked the other with interest, “don’t you never swear?” “No,” said the sergeant, “I don’t. Any leatherhead can swear, but it takes a man to lay off it.” “Might be so,” agreed the other, “but it ain’t good to bottle up all that feelmg in a man. If he can say a few words he feels better. You’re a good guy, though, if you are asergeant. What’s yourname? Mine’s Jacob Brown.” “‘Mine’s Eadie,’’ answered the sergeant, and they struck hands. “Do you know how this puzzle works? My outfit never had them. The dismounted men were issued Spanish War haversacks and canteens to match, and that’s what they had when I left the outfit.” “T’ll show you,” said Brown, “‘but we bet- ter prospect a little kerosene to get the cosmoline offen these rifles with. This in- spection’s liable to occur right soon.”’ This appearing to be a good suggestion, the two went about it. They were able to borrow a wash basin full of gasoline from a man on the lower floor. This basin had already been used by a goodly number and the liquid therein was quite thick and gooey, but it did take the cosmoline off. In the midst of the operation three men entered the barracks hastily and a table having been dragged in, the three removed their coats. Members of the guard ap- peared and the acting top kick who ordered all to line up. ‘“Here’s for the jab,” said Eadie with a sinking heart, and took his place near the head of the line to have it over with as soon as possible. Eadie had had jabs before and knew that those that get the first have the better time of it. One of the three newcomers was a doctor, and having put a needle on a syringe, he held the syringe to the light, and squirted a little liquid out, to see that it worked. ‘Let’s go,” he commanded. One of his helpers went down the line directing all to bare their arms and when 9 this was done he put a dab of iodin on each one, just under the shoulder muscle. The doctor tucked back his cuffs. Sock/ He drove the needle into an arm. He dis- charged its contents into the soldier and with a quick motion wrenched the needle out again. The assistant stepped up to dab a second circle of iodin on the arm. Thud! The recipient of the jab keeled over in a heap. “Drag him out into the air,’ directed the doctor, shooting a little stream of juice out of his needle toward the electric light. “Drag him out and revive him. He’s got to be vaccinated yet.” Eadie was fourth in line. He got his jab and gave his name to the third member of the medical party. ‘‘Whoa,” cried this last as Eadie was about to go out. “Stick around; we got to vaccinate you just as soon as every one gets their shot.” Fadie, full of rage, sat sadly down on a bunk. His stomach was doing a Highland fling and his head ached. The sting in his arm was gradually going away. “Tf I’d gone to that trench mortar outfit,” he thought bitterly, “I’d have escaped all this. They’d got my service record prob- ably. Now look at the mess I’ve got to go through. Maybe they wouldn’t have my service record, too, at that, and I’d have to go through it just the same.” There was the crash of a falling body and two grunting men bore out a third. and added him to the line outside the door. Eadie saw that it was his new friend Brown. | : “These big guys seem to-go out the quickest,” he thought. ‘But then, the doc is down at the lower end of the line now, and his old needle must be pretty dull.” “Up on your feet,” cried the busy assis- tant. “Left sleeve up! Chase in that crowd from outside. No duckin’, now, or we'll vaccinate you lyin’ down. Chase ’em in, sergeant.” The pallid ones came in from outdoors and the sergeant could be heard urging the others to get up on their feet and be men, and how the —— could they face the Ger- mans if they couldn’t stand a little shot in the arm. “Huh,” thought Eadie, as the assistant scraped at his arm with a bit of broken bottle. ‘“There’s lots more to this war stuff than fighting Germans. If they’ve got CoOMmicboolk ) (© 5}