The Cordova daily times., 1917-10-10
CHAPTER ".
The Jig's Up!

' w boys were talking about there
 being a woman on board the transport I knew things were getting mighty shaky for me.
 Rockies like nothing better than to crack wise, as the old timers call 1t, on anything connected with their troop. They have a keener sense for inside news than bird dog has for flock of prairie chickens. This recruit was a specially busy one of the breed. He was as pleased over the prospect of a new thrill as a Mexican Is over a plate of redhot chili con carnL It would be red hot for me. all right. if they found me out.
 By this time Smithers was proud of me as if I was his own private idea. He used to chuckle as much when an officer hove in sight and I stood at at tention and saluted and got away with 1t as he did when the "bones" rolled him good pot in crap game. Then, If he saw me watching him, he would try to look very severe and grOwl:
 You shouldn't ought to "a done 1t, kiddie Sure huff you shouldn't"
 What Cupid Smithers said when told him the rockies were on the scent and were talking sounded like a word barrage from the heavy artillery. You could smell the sulphur in the air. No apologies either. He was mad clean through.
 '"What them young shayetalls need is q set of knitting needles" he growl- ed. q tell you what you'd better do. who tipped you off and see if you can't shame him out'n the idea"
 That sounded fair enough. My cour- age began to pick up. The game was mot over yet by a long way.
 l found my rookie astern. He was with two or three other youngsters. They were licking Germans right and left, favorite pastime of new men In uniform. The old campaigners avoid talk about soldering. You would nev- CT know by their conversation whether they were on their way to a war CT = a. tea rH-'- T,i' a, c, lad the Uoches hallway to Berlin and were using the kaiser's helmet for a cuspi' dor when broke in.
 Hey there. Kid Pinkerton." rag. ged. Found the fem yetT'
 What do you mean2" demanded my rookie, blushing like high school boy He knew l was kidding him.
 Didn't you tell me there was a wo man on board?"
 Sure did. l heard"-
 Well. you sure are some fall guy Maybe you heard we are going to fghI the Fntzes with pea shooters too You'd better get hep>to yourself. The first thing you know you'll be answer ing to the name O Patsy around here.'
 Rookie Silenced.
 That last shot hit the boy hard. Fl, suspected they were stringing him Every soldier dreads being singled Ou for the butt of his comrades jokes. Al army Patsy has q pretty tough time o 1t. I was safe from that rookie. fo the present at least.
 1 sneaked forward to the quarter where my husband was bunking a soon as Flights out" I was anxious t tell him what had happened. He wa worried, but he tried not to show Il He told me to cheer up; that no matte what happened he would stand by Was I happy? Ask me. After all, h might weaken and let me go with hir into France. Right then I wouldn' have traded my trusty old doughbo outfit for the swellest wardrobe in Ney York city, and, from what we hea back in Arizona, that is saying heap. didn't sleep much. felt there wa something in the air. Before midnigh there was a submarine alarm. Tn old timer in the bunk under me hadn hit the floor before he began to squawl
 Some son of sea cook has snare my life belt!' he complained loudly.
 He was digging up his bunk like dog after a rabbit. Blankets, shoes an clothes were flying in all directions The alarm sergeant whose duty it wa to see that all hands were out of qua ters and on deck, was prodding hir none too gently to hasten him. A so dier from H company. pal of hi came running up.
 LAW, g'wan, you rummyr' he calle' stopping long enough to have goo laugh. You've got it on you"
 The old timer beat 1t quick. It wa the first tip we had he was taking D chances on being kissed by a subm' rine. Afterward he insisted he ha been trying it on and left it there mistake. but the boys wouldn't liste to him. You're just as likely to @ fitted to A co6.n and forget about hA,