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Uncle Sam's Boys with Pershing's Troops / Or, Dick Prescott at Grips with the Boche

Chapter 2 A MEETING AT THE NIPA BARRACKS

Word Count: 3133    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

nly for

ipino clutched at the white man's arm, shovin

p. With instant presence of mind Vicente Tomba,

native and white friend were driv

iends are?" Noll r

calls himself Vicente To

something, and he seemed almost peevish

Hal, undisturbed. "It couldn't be anyt

that?" demande

f that fellow had wanted anything in the treasonable variety, what sort of goods could we

rth was the fell

ll sorts here in Manila, ready to put up all sorts of games to get the easy-mark

ed Noll Terry. "He wouldn't have to be o

they ought to be," observed Sergeant Hal sagely. "Let's forget the fellow, Noll, unless we see him again.

on our guard

ebodings regarding Tomba, or Tomba an

have," return

ared, a

stion to ask a sol

ughts on Tomba, or on his white-man compan

step further back into the little shed and close his eyes for an instant. Right a

t after that, and a fareless quile

occupied)?"

se?

into the quilez through the door at the rea

l, thus instructing the driver to go straight ahea

brown man perched on the box outside, shivered until his teeth chattered. He di

ose perhaps a square mile of city. Once past the Walled City the little vehicle glided on through pretty Ermita. He

ish. They had, however, learned the best Spanish of old Castile. First Sergeant Gray, who had put in three terms of service in the

guage of the public schools of the islands. Many of the older natives, however, even those w

ds much of the fury of the storm had passed. The rain, however,

in this kind of weather in an

ss," comment

hurt the soldier much, either, for somehow he's heal

ith a smile of mild disgust. "Did w

on a tim

ess that day

or the rear door and opening it. "I'll pay the co

ain, lounged half a hundred of the men of the Thirty-fo

Escolta, Sergeant?" called Priva

et you, Kelly,

ost cards for me?" c

blouse and exploring an inner pocket. "I hope I hav

brothers and cousins have never been out here a

errands that the young sergeants had underta

wo so much good this aftern

geant Overton

weather we didn't h

rike something hard in the tropics yet, but so far, since reaching Manila, the men of this regiment h

eard?" asked C

rd," Hal

e heard that the 'Warren'

ransport vessel that was much used in car

l replied thoughtfully. "I suppose we're

e regiment, anyway," r

e it's

ne place for a regiment to be stationed is right here on the outskirts of Manila. Plenty of grub, kitc

n't want to see any trouble start in these islands, but if there's going to

in other years, and have seen plenty of fighting. Now, getting shot at by a lot of strangers is all right enough for a soldier when it has t

ghting as some of you fellows have," Hal no

the good old Rocky Mountains," retorted Corporal H

the same. I'm a hog, ain't I?" l

've had it. When you've been with the colors a few years longer you'll be ready to agree that three 'squa

her last trip south," Hal went

ed Private Kelly. "But we h

oolers!" taunted

s a man who won't go forward, in the morning, until his coffee is cool enough for him to drink it with comfort. Hence a coffe

ked why he didn't bring his woolen socks along. If a cold-foot gets into deadly action it is said that the cold chills chase each other down his spine and all settle in his feet, so that he is

t battle or two, and yet have been among the best of soldiers lat

ut through the rain, "there goes s

rection of the post hospital. None could make out, however, who was on the stretcher, as, owi

ellows is badly hurt," bro

Hyman. "Did you ever see a country where the

rainy season, isn't

es

ear we have a dry

prefer the wet season a whole lot. In the dry seas

ped briskly out

report immediately to Lieutenant

are out of your mouth, Driggs,"

ook at the sheets of dew coming down, and

will," Hal ass

ho on the ground, under their blankets. But in the middle of the poncho is a hole through whic

is campaign hat, Hal started br

is room when Hal knocked, an

writing at a table. He looked up long enough

" stated Lieutenant Prescott, wh

good

hanged from his position of at

fourth. Readers of our "High School Boys Series" recall Dick Prescott as a schoolboy athlete, and readers of the "West Poi

Lieutenant Prescott wiped his pen, laid

geant Gray?" asked t

in especi

rty-seventh Infantry. Colonel Thorpe was visiting our colonel, and only the two little Thorpe y

bad news in the company, sir. I don't think any of them know it yet, or I would

report before he can come back to duty. But that is not what I sent for you to tell you, Sergeant Overton. As Sergeant Hupner was left behind on detailed duty in the United States,

good

fourth is due before the office of the captain of the port, to take boats f

t that to th

e to it that all the personal and company baggage is

good

Moro dattos (chieftains) are said to be preparing to stir up trouble in some of t

to hear that, sir," cri

t of the younger officers, hungered for active service agai

s,

that is al

with even more snap than usual

ed. After supper several of B Company's men went out into the near-by

densely foliaged yllang-yllang tree, they came upon two figures stand

ght to get off, as the packing-up order has been given. I'll see our first sergeant, however, and find out whether there

in Hal's voice, sounding rather cool, for Hal had rec

while the little Filipino dandy started, pee

eman tried to butt in with us this afternoon, and at first we took it in good part. But he was too eager. Then, a little later in the afternoon, we heard him d

, while his eyes gleamed angri

d. "This little man has just been telling me how much he loves American soldados, and

ernoon I'm a little shaky on

" cried Tomba, wheeling a

elivered a short-arm, right-hand blow that struck

n instant, and a knif

ch that held the rascal powerless. Then Noll coolly took away the knife

ant, to take this little brown

bother the guard with," replied young Serge

a vigorous start, emphasized by a kick, a

reasons, too, why it would have been far better

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