The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1917-10-24
CHAPTER Nv.
The Jig's Up!
SXTHEN rookie told me all III
w boys were talking about ther.


transport knew things were getting
mighty shaky for me.
Rockies like nothing better than to
crack wise, as the old timers call it, on
anything connected with their troop.
They have kcener 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 us Mexican is over plate
of redhot chill con carni 1t would be
red hot for me. all right. If they found
me out.
by this time Smithcrs was proud of
me as if | was his own private idea.
He used to chuckle as much when an
officer hove i'm sight and stood at at
tention and saluted and cot away with
1t us 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 IA done It..
kiddie. Sure huff you shouldn't"
What Cupid Smithers said when |
told him the rockies were on the scent
and were talking sounded like word
barrage from the heavy artillery. You
could smell the sulphur in the air. No
apologies either. lie was mad clean
through.
"What them young shavetails need
Is set of knitting needles" he growl-
ed 81 tell you what you'd better do.
You'd better find that laxative Teller
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
not over yet by long way.
found my rookie astern. He was
with two or three other youngsters.
They were licking Germans right and
left, a fav0rte pastime of new men In
uniform The old !campaigners avoid
talk about soldering You would new
err know by their conversation whether
they were on their way to a war or to
a tea party. The rockies had the
boches halfway to Berlin and were
using the kaiser's helmet for cuspi-
dor when broke in.
Hey there. Kid Pinkerton." ! rag.
ged. Found the fem yety'
"What do you mean?" demanded my
rookie. blushins like n high school boy
lie knew was kidding him.
Didn't you tell me there was wO
man on board?"
Sure | did. heard
well. you sure are some fall guy.
Maybe you heard we are going to fight
the Fritzes 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. lie
suspected they were stringing him
Every soldier breads being singled out
for the butt of his comrades jokes. An
army Patsy has pretty tough time OF
1t. | was safe from that rookie. for
the present at least.
| sneaked forward to the quarters
where my husband was bunking as
soon as flights out" was anxious to
tcI WHAT uul'pChSu. AAS " os
worried. but he tried not to show It.
He told me to cheer up; that no matter
what happened he would stand by
Was | happy? Ask me. After all, he
might weaken and let me go with him
into France Right then I wouldn't
have traded my trusty old doughboy
outfit for the SWEETEST wardrobe In New
York city. aud. from what we hear
back in Arizona that Is saying heap.
didn't sleep much. felt there was
something In the air Before midnight
there was a submarine alarm. The
old timer In the bunk under me hadn't
hit the floor before he began to squawk
"Some son of sea cook has SHARED
my life belt" he complained loudly.
lie was digging up his bunk like q
dog after rabbit Blankets, shoes and
clothes were flying in all directions
The alarm sergeant. whose duty II was
to see that all hands were out of quar-
tiers and on deck, was prOdding him
none too gently to hasten him A sol
came running up.
Jaw. g'wan you rummy" he called
stopping long enough to have good
laugh. You've got II on you"
The old timer beat II quick. II was
the first tip we had he was taking no
chances on being kissed by a subma-
rine Afterward he insisted he had
been trying il ON and left 1t there by
mistake. but the boys wouldn't listen
10 him. You're just as likely to get
fitted 10 coffin and forget about hav-
ing Il On AZ one OF those seagoing life
prcscrvers They had his number.
The next morning ! decided not to
risk going up for drill. The rumOr
about the woman was too fresh to be
safe II II had reached any OF the Off