“Oh, he’s too old; and besides he’s somewhat crippled by rheumatism or something,” said Randy.
The Rover boys hurried off to their room to get into their cadet uniforms. The twins went on ahead, leaving Jack and Fred alone for the time being.
“Jack, what do you think our fathers will do?” questioned Fred. He remembered that both Jack’s father and his own had at one time been officers of the cadets at Putnam Hall. The fun-loving father of the twins had never aspired to such a position, being content to remain “a high private in the rear rank,” as he himself had often expressed it.
“I’m sure I don’t know, Fred,” was the sober reply. “It may be that they will be just as anxious to get into the war as Colonel Colby seems to be. But you must remember that they are at the head of The Rover Company, and possibly they won’t be able to leave—at least not right away.”
“But they are so patriotic they’ll want to go,” declared Fred.
“Well, if they make up their minds to go, I guess we’ll be among the first to hear about it.”
“Gee, how I’d like to be a soldier boy!” sighed Fred. “Wouldn’t it be great if all of us cadets could go into the army?”
“We’ll have to wait four or five years before we can do that, Fred. And I rather think that by that time this great war will be over.”
“Oh, you can’t tell how long a war like this will last. For all you know the Germans may come right over here.”
“I don’t think they’ll do that. They’ll have their hands full fighting in Europe.”