“But a few setting up exercises will take that off you in jig time,” said the recruiting officer.
His interest, too, was keen on getting the information the boys had to give about the pro-German meeting.
“So they are starting already, are they?” demanded Lieutenant Riker. “Well, we’ll have to expect that. However, they must not go too far—these pacifists and these lovers of the Kaiser. Uncle Sam is pretty easy; too easy, I say, but he has a long arm. I’m much obliged to you boys for the information. I’ll have one or two regular men there, just to listen and to report to the Department of Justice. And as for you——”
“Oh, we’ll be there!” exclaimed Jerry. “We wouldn’t miss it. We are going to tell Colonel Wentworth about it, and he may have something to suggest.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he did,” commented Lieutenant Riker with a smile. “Well, I’ll leave that part to you. Now about this enlistment. It’s fine of you to be among the first to come in. There’ll be plenty more too, when they find out a draft is coming.
“Not that it is to the discredit of any one to be in the selective service, as it is going to be called,” he went on. “No higher honor can come to a man. But the advantage of enlisting is that you can pick your own branch of service, and that will be of value. Have you boys any idea where you’d like to be?”
“I’d like aeroplane work,” said Jerry. “We’ve had experience in that.”
“I was thinking of submarines,” put in Ned.
“Why not the artillery?” asked Bob. “You know we had a little to do with explosives when we went out west to our mine.”
“I see you boys know a little something about all three branches of the service,” commented the lieutenant. “Well, perhaps it will be best for you to volunteer for the infantry at first, and, later, make application to be transferred. You can do this as long as you have volunteered.”