They were walking fast along a straight road across a plain under a clear star-powdered sky.
“I been out eight weeks yesterday. What'd you think o' that?” said Eddy.
“Must have had plenty of money to go on.”
“I've been flat fifteen days.”
“How d'you work it?”
“I dunno. I juss work it though.... Ye see, it was this way. The gang I was with went home when I was in hauspital, and the damn skunks put me in class A and was goin' to send me to the Army of Occupation. Gawd, it made me sick, goin' out to a new outfit where I didn't know anybody, an' all the rest of my bunch home walkin' down Water Street with brass bands an' reception committees an' girls throwing kisses at 'em an' all that. Where are yous goin'?”
“Paris.”
“Gee, I wouldn't. Risky.”
“But I've got friends there. I can get hold of some money.”
“Looks like I hadn't got a friend in the world. I wish I'd gone to that goddam outfit now.... I ought to have been in the engineers all the time, anyway.”