“A heap of influence we have!” laughed Ned. “Privates—with Jerry just made corporal.”
“Well, Andy was very nice to us on the way down,” said Helen, “so please do all you can for him.”
“We will!” promised Jerry. “And now tell us about yourselves, and how all the folks are at home. Oh, but it’s great to see you again!”
Then followed a talk until it was time for the three chums to report for drill duty.
“What are you girls going to do this evening?” asked Bob.
The girls looked at one another.
“Oh, just sit around, I suppose,” remarked Mollie. 48
“No, you’re not!” cried Jerry. “There’s a dance in town—a really nice place—and we’ve been wishing for some girls to come along to help us out. It’s under the auspices of the local Y. W. C. A. And if we can get off––”
“Oh, we’ll get off all right!” broke in Ned eagerly.
“If worst comes to worst, we’ll have the professor ask the colonel on our behalf. The prof seems to pull a pretty good stroke with the C. O. So a dance it is to be!” declared Bob.