“You are setting your younger brothers anything but a good example, Donald! We have less of this sort of thing when you’re away. If you carry on this way at Brighton I should think you’d soon be in disgrace. You ought to be a little older and join the army; the discipline there would do you good. A nice breakfast this is!” he added as he began, moodily, to eat.
Don was too proud and too loyal to the joint offenders to explain. It seemed enough for him to know that he was not to blame, that the scolding was not merited and his father would soon find this out. An idea had quickly entered his head.
“I can manage to get into the war, Father, if you’ll sign an application paper.”
“Well, I’ll see about it—haven’t time now.”
“Yes, I think you have. Better sign before we wreck the house, or set fire to it. Here’s the document. Write on the last line, at the bottom.”
Doctor Richards seized the paper that Don shoved at him, but hardly glanced at it. “I suppose you feel mightily independent since you got that five hundred dollars. Well, going will probably do you good.” With that the man of many duties drew forth his fountain pen, placed the paper against the door-jamb, and quickly wrote his name. “Let me know later just what you intend doing; I will help you all I can. But if you like school best, better go back, perhaps.” The doctor stepped out of the room, the front door slammed, there was the chug of a motor and the boys were again left to themselves.
The twins and Ernest sneaked away; Merrill turned to Don, whom he really loved and admired.
“Say, that was rotten! And for me and those kids to let you take that, too! You bet I’ll tell Dad all about it when he comes back.”
“Well, all right, if you want to; but not now. Not one word before I get off, which will be this afternoon probably. I really can’t blame Father much; it was tough for him to miss a decent breakfast and he has a lot to put up with from us kids—with all he does for us! But he won’t be bothered with me for a while and if I get over there maybe he will never again be bothered with me. Well, I’ll see you later, Mel, and let you know. I’m off to see Clem Stapley now; perhaps he will be going, too.”
But on his way Don stopped at the Army and Red Cross recruiting station, in the same busy office, being received with much gusto, both because of his recent heroic conduct in landing the German agent and of his frank engaging manner. He had much to say, found much to learn and got what he was after. Then he climbed the hill toward the Stapley mansion. Clem was at the garage, helping the chauffeur tinker with a crippled motor.